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diff --git a/38450-h/38450-h.htm b/38450-h/38450-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..aae016e --- /dev/null +++ b/38450-h/38450-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8616 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> + <meta name="generator" content="pph (1.16)"/> + <meta name="title" content="The Six River Motor Boat Boys On the St. Lawrence"/> + <meta name="author" content="Harry Gordon"/> + <meta name="date" content="1913"/> + <title>The Six River Motor Boat Boys On the St. Lawrence</title> + <style type="text/css"> + p.center {text-align:center} + p.caption {text-align:center; margin-left:20%; margin-right:20%;} + h2.chapter {font-size:1.2em; text-align:center; margin: 2em auto 1em auto; font-weight:normal} + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The River Motor Boat Boys on the St. +Lawrence, by Harry Gordon + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The River Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence + The Lost Channel + +Author: Harry Gordon + +Release Date: December 31, 2011 [EBook #38450] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVER MOTOR BOAT BOYS ON *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div style='text-align:center'> +<img id='ilink01' src='images/illus-001.jpg' alt=''/> +<p class='caption'>The wave caught the <i>Rambler</i> broadside, and in an instant she was beached high and dry on the bar.</p> +</div> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOAT</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.5em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>BOYS ON THE ST. LAWRENCE</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'>OR</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'>THE LOST CHANNEL</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:3em;margin-bottom:0;'>By HARRY GORDON</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Author of</span></p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Mississippi”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Colorado”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Amazon”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Columbia”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Ohio”</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'>A. L. BURT COMPANY</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0;'>NEW YORK</p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>Copyright, 1913</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>By A. L. Burt Company</span></p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOYS ON THE ST. LAWRENCE</p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>CONTENTS</p> + +<table id='toc' style='margin:auto' summary='TOC'> +<tr><td> + <a href='#clink01'>I—A Mysterious Visitor</a><br/> + <a href='#clink02'>II—A Treacherous Guest</a><br/> + <a href='#clink03'>III—Arrested for Piracy</a><br/> + <a href='#clink04'>IV—Concerning a Lost Channel</a><br/> + <a href='#clink05'>V—Teddy Gives an Exhibition</a><br/> + <a href='#clink06'>VI—Captain Joe Takes a Prisoner</a><br/> + <a href='#clink07'>VII—Case Has His Doubts</a><br/> + <a href='#clink08'>VIII—The Discovery of Max</a><br/> + <a href='#clink09'>IX—A Busy Night in Quebec</a><br/> + <a href='#clink10'>X—The Menagerie in Action</a><br/> + <a href='#clink11'>XI—The Crew Takes a Tumble</a><br/> + <a href='#clink12'>XII—Rivermen With a Thirst</a><br/> + <a href='#clink13'>XIII—A Meeting at Montreal</a><br/> + <a href='#clink14'>XIV—An Old Friend Appears</a><br/> + <a href='#clink15'>XV—Through the Famous Rapids</a><br/> + <a href='#clink16'>XVI—A Call from Wreckers</a><br/> + <a href='#clink17'>XVII—Captain Joe’s Night Visit</a><br/> + <a href='#clink18'>XVIII—It Is Now Clay’s Turn</a><br/> + <a href='#clink19'>XIX—A Splash of Water</a><br/> + <a href='#clink20'>XX—Lifting a Sunken Launch</a><br/> + <a href='#clink21'>XXI—Down in the Whirlpool</a><br/> + <a href='#clink22'>XXII—What the Eddy Brought Up</a><br/> + <a href='#clink23'>XXIII—The Lost Charter Is Found</a><br/> +</td></tr> +</table> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.4em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOYS ON THE ST. LAWRENCE.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink01'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER I—A MYSTERIOUS VISITOR</a></h2> + +<p>It was dark on the St. Lawrence River at nine +o’clock that August night. There would be a moon +later, but the clouds drifting in from the bay might +or might not hold the landscape in darkness until +morning. The tide was running in, and with it +came a faint fog from the distant coast of Newfoundland.</p> + +<p>Only one light showed on the dark surface of +the river in the vicinity of St. Luce, and this came +from the deck of a motor boat, anchored well out +from the landing on the south side of the stream, +fifty miles or more from Point des Montes, which +is where the St. Lawrence widens out to the north +to form the upper part of the bay of the same +name.</p> + +<p>The light on the motor boat came from an +electric lamp set at the prow, six feet above the deck. +It showed as trim and powerful a craft as ever +pushed her nose into those waters.</p> + +<p>Those who have followed the adventures of the +Six River Motor Boat Boys will not need to be +told here of the strength, speed and perfect equipment +of the <i>Rambler</i>. The motors were suitable +for a sea-going tug, and the boat had all the conveniences +known to modern shipbuilders. She had +carried her present crew in safety up the Amazon +to its source, down the Columbia from its headwaters, +through the Colorado to the Grand Canyon, +and down the Mississippi from its source to +the Gulf of Mexico.</p> + +<p>All these trips had been crowded with adventure, +but both the boys and the boat had proved equal +to every emergency. At the conclusion of the +Mississippi journey, the boys of the Six River +Motor Boat Club had decided to explore the St. +Lawrence river from the Gulf to Lake Ontario.</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> had been shipped by rail to a point +on the coast of New Brunswick, and the remainder +of the journey to St. Luce had been made by water +along the treacherous coasts of New Brunswick +and Quebec. A fresh supply of gasoline had been +taken on just before night fell, and on the approach +of daylight the boys would be on their way up the +stream.</p> + +<p>Although it was early August, the night was +decidedly cold, and Clayton Emmett, Alex Smithwick, +Julian Shafer, and Cornelius Witters, the +four boys who had embarked on the trip, were sitting +snugly around a coal fire in the cabin. They +were sturdy, healthy, merry-hearted lads of about +sixteen, all from Chicago, and all without family +ties of any kind so far as they knew. They had +been reared in the streets of the big city, and had +become possessed of the <i>Rambler</i> by a series of +adventures which the readers of the previous +volumes of this series will readily recall.</p> + +<p>The night grew darker as it grew older, and a +strong wind came up from the bay, bobbing the +<i>Rambler</i> about drunkenly. Clayton Emmett—always +just “Clay” to his chums—arose from his +chair after a particularly fierce blast from the wind +and approached the cabin door.</p> + +<p>“Don’t open that door!” shouted Alex Smithwick. +“We’ll be sent smashing through the back +wall if you do. This night makes me think of a +smiling summer day in Chicago harbor,—it’s so +different!”</p> + +<p>“Company!” Clay answered, excitedly, “We’re +going to have company. Listen!”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” laughed Jule Shafer, “I’ve got a flashlight +of any one rowing out to us to-night. The +river is too rough for a rowboat.”</p> + +<p>“Now you look here, Captain Joe,” Clay went +on, “don’t you go start anything!”</p> + +<p>This last remark was made to a white bulldog +of sinister aspect which had arisen from a rug in +a corner of the cabin and now stood at Clay’s +side, growling threateningly. Joe wagged a stumpy +tail in acknowledgment of the advice, but dashed +out, snarling, as Clay opened the door and gained +the deck.</p> + +<p>“All right; go to it!” Alex laughed, as the door +closed behind the two. “Stick out on deck a spell +and the wind will do the rest.”</p> + +<p>Case Witters—he was never anything but +“Case” to his friends—went to the door and +looked out through the blurred glass, wiping the +inside of the panel with his sleeve in order to get +a clearer view.</p> + +<p>“What’s coming off?” demanded Jule.</p> + +<p>“I hope we’ll be able to get away on one trip +without some one butting in,” suggested Case.</p> + +<p>“Say, now, look at Teddy,” cried Jule, springing +to his feet.</p> + +<p>“Teddy” was a quarter-grown grizzly bear. He +had been captured on the Columbia river, and had +been a great pet of the boys ever since. He now +rose from the rug which he had occupied in company +with Captain Joe, the white bulldog, and +shambled over to the door, against which he lifted +a pair of capable paws in an effort to get a view +of the deck.</p> + +<p>“Rubberneck!” called Alex, digging the cub in +the ribs.</p> + +<p>“You know what you’ll come to if you talk +slang!” Jule grinned. “You’ll have to wash +dishes for a week. We all agreed to that, you +know,” he added as Alex wrinkled a freckled nose +and pointed to the bear cub still trying to look out.</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you let him out?” he asked. “If +the wind blows his hide off, we’ll make a rug of +it. What is Clay doing?”</p> + +<p>Case did not reply to the question. Instead, he +opened the door, swinging it back with a bang, and +both boy and bear ran out on deck. The first +thing Teddy did was to sit up on his hind legs +and box at the wind, which rumpled his fur and +brought moisture to his little round eyes. Boxing +was one of the accomplishments taught him by the +boys, and he took great pride in it.</p> + +<p>Alex closed the door and, with Jule at his side, +stood looking out on deck. Clay, Case and the two +pets stood at the prow, gazing down on the river.</p> + +<p>Directly the top of a worn fur cap made its +appearance above the gunwale of the boat, followed +almost immediately by the head and shoulders of +a man. Then Alex and Jule both rushed out of +the cabin.</p> + +<p>“He must be a peach, whoever he is, to come off +to us in a canoe over that rough water to-night!” +Alex cried. “I want to see that boat of his.”</p> + +<p>The boat in which the stranger had put off was +rocking viciously in the stream, and it was some +seconds before he could secure a footing which +promised a successful leap for the deck. When at +last he came over the rail, the boys saw a heavily-built +man with thin whiskers growing out of a +dark face. His eyes were keen and black, and the +hair hanging low down on his wide shoulders, was +black, too, and straight.</p> + +<p>Holding his boat line in one hand, in order that +the craft might not drift away, he searched with +the other hand in the interior pockets of a rough +Jersey jacket for a second, and then brought forth +a sealed package which he handed to Clay. As +the boy took the package, the man who had delivered +it sprang, without speaking a word, to the railing, +hung for a moment with his feet in the air +above the bobbing canoe, dropped, and was almost +instantly lost in the darkness.</p> + +<p>Leaning over the railing of the boat, wide-eyed +and amazed, the four boys stood for a moment +trying to pierce the line of darkness beyond the +round circle of the prow light. Nothing was to +be seen. The boat had come and gone in the darkness. +The packet in Clay’s hands was the only +evidence that it had ever existed. Alex was the +first to speak.</p> + +<p>“What do you know about that?” he shouted.</p> + +<p>“They must have fine mail facilities on the St. +Lawrence!” commented Case.</p> + +<p>“That was only a ghost!” Jule asserted, with +a wink at Alex. “That letter will go sailing up in +the air in a minute.”</p> + +<p>Clay opened the packet so strangely delivered and unfolded +a crude map of a country enclosed between +two rivers. These rivers, after running close together +for a long distance, spread apart, like the +two arms of a pair of tongs, at their mouths, making +an egg-shaped peninsula which extended far +into the main river. Back from the river shore, on +this rude drawing, a narrow creek cut through the +territory between the two rivers, making the peninsula +an island.</p> + +<p>Below this rude drawing of the rivers and the +peninsula was another of an old-fashioned safe +resting high up in a niche in a rocky wall. The +face of the wall was cross-hatched, to show that +it was in the shadows.</p> + +<p>Below the drawing of the safe, were these +words:</p> + +<p>“At last! Follow instructions. Success is certain. +Map enclosed. Point straight to the north.”</p> + +<p>The boys gathered closely around Clay, standing +under the brilliant prow light, and examined +the paper, passing it from one to another with +questioning glances.</p> + +<p>“I guess,” Alex said, “that we are drawing +somebody else’s cards.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Case suggested, “that’s a queer kind +of a hand to come out of the night.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps,” Jule observed, “they present travelers +on the St. Lawrence with these little souvenirs +just to excite interest.”</p> + +<p>“Point straight to the north,” repeated Clay. +“I wonder what that means.”</p> + +<p>“I’d like to know what any of it means,” Alex +asserted. “It looks to me like some one was butting +in.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Case remarked, “we have started out +on every trip with a mystery to unravel, and here +we go again, loaded up with another.”</p> + +<p>“You bet we have!” laughed Alex. “We harvested +gold on the Amazon, caught murderers on +the Columbia, found a secret treasure in the Grand +Canyon, and chased pirates on the Mississippi, but +this is the only real Captain Kidd mystery we have +struck yet.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we do with it?” asked Clay, rattling +the paper.</p> + +<p>“Throw it in the river and be on our way,” proposed +Case.</p> + +<p>“Suppose,” Alex grinned, “there should be a +barrel of money in that safe they’ve made a drawing +of. If there is, we want to get it.”</p> + +<p>“I think we’d better be going on, just the same,” +Case said. “I’m for dumping this map thing into +the river and forgetting all about it.”</p> + +<p>“Aw,” Alex cut in, “that would be throwing +away all the fun. I want to go to this ‘North,’ +wherever it is. There may be something funny +doing there.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe, who had been sitting at the prow, +watching the boys with an intelligent interest, now +passed back to the cabin, leaped upon the low roof, +and bounded to the after deck. The boys heard +him growling threateningly for a moment, and +then he came back.</p> + +<p>Teddy, the cub, arose from the place where he +had been lying, sniffed at the gunwale of the boat +for an instant, and walked into the cabin.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with our menagerie to-night,” +demanded Alex. “There seems to be +something in the air.”</p> + +<p>“What do you see, Captain Joe?” asked Clay. +“If it’s a man, and he’s got a letter, you go get it. +Some other fellow may be wanting us to go South, +or East, or West.”</p> + +<p>As Clay ceased speaking, the splash of a paddle +came faintly from the darkness to the West.</p> + +<p>“Here comes R. F. D. postman number two,” +shouted Alex.</p> + +<p>As the boys listened, the splashings of the paddle +came louder for a moment, then ceased entirely.</p> + +<p>“Hello, the boat!” Alex cried. “Have you got +a letter for us?”</p> + +<p>No answer came back. There was now a break +in the clouds, and the moon shone sharply down +upon the swirling river, but only for an instant.</p> + +<p>“There he comes!” cried Jule.</p> + +<p>But the moonlight was gone, and the sound of +the paddle was gone, and just at the edge of the +circle of light which came from the prow, an Indian +canoe glided, phantom-like, down the stream and +disappeared.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink02'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER II—A TREACHEROUS GUEST</a></h2> + +<p>“Do you suppose that is the fellow Captain Joe +caught prowling around the stem of the boat?” +asked Jule as the canoe disappeared down the river.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe answered the question by trotting +up to the prow and snarling at the disappearing +canoe.</p> + +<p>“Now, what do you think he wanted here, anyway?” +asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Possibly he just dropped down to see if we +were ready to start north,” Case observed with a +yawn.</p> + +<p>“It looks to me,” Alex said, “that we have +struck a storm center of some kind, and I’m going +to bed and think it over.</p> + +<p>“I’m glad you’re going to bed,” Clay laughed, +“for you get lost whenever we leave you on watch.”</p> + +<p>“But I always find myself!” answered Alex, +with a provoking grin.</p> + +<p>It was finally arranged that Case should stand +guard that night, and the others prepared for sleep. +The bunks were let down in the cabin, the prow +light was switched off, and directly all was dark, +save when the moon broke out from a bank of +wandering clouds.</p> + +<p>Sitting well wrapped at the door of the cabin, +shortly before midnight, Clay once more heard the +sweep of a paddle or an oar. He arose and went +to the prow.</p> + +<p>Off to the right, on a point of land below St. +Luce, a column of flame was beckoning in the +gale from the gulf. Only the flame was to be seen. +There was neither habitation nor human figure in +sight under its light. While the boy watched, a +signal shot came from the east.</p> + +<p>Then an answering light came from the north, +and a ship’s boat, four-oared and sturdy, passed +for an instant under the light of the moon and was +lost in the darkness.</p> + +<p>The rowboat had passed so close to the <i>Rambler</i> +that the watching boy could have seen the faces of +the occupants if they had not been turned away. +For a moment he had feared that it was the intention +of the rowers to board the <i>Rambler</i>, but +they had passed on apparently without noticing +the boat at all.</p> + +<p>After following the boat with his eyes for an +instant, he switched on the prow light and turned +to the cabin to awaken his chums. Here was a new +feature of the night which must be considered.</p> + +<p>As he turned toward the cabin, a white package +lying upon the deck caught his eye. It had not +been there a moment before, so the boy naturally +concluded that it had been thrown from the row +boat. He lifted it and, going back under the prow +light, opened the envelope and read.</p> + +<p>“Don’t interfere with what doesn’t concern you. +Go on about your business, if you have any. Life +is sweet to the young. Do you understand? Be +warned. Others have tried and lost.”</p> + +<p>The puzzled boy dashed into the cabin with the +paper in his hand.</p> + +<p>“Look here, fellows!” he shouted, pulling away +at the first sleeping figure he came upon, “R. F. D. +postman number two has arrived. Here’s the letter +he brought.”</p> + +<p>He read the message aloud to the three wondering +boys, sitting wide-eyed on their bunks, and +handed the paper to Clay.</p> + +<p>“What about it?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“I reckon,” Alex observed with a grin, “that +we’re going to be arrested for opening some one +else’s mail.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you ever think this letter wasn’t intended +for us,” Jule declared.</p> + +<p>“And now,” Case said, “I suppose we’ll have +to give up following the orders given in the first +letter. We’re ordered off the premises. See?”</p> + +<p>“Not for mine,” Alex cried. “You can’t win +me on any sawed-off mystery! I want to know +what this means.”</p> + +<p>After a time the boys switched off the prow +light, turned on the small lamp in the cabin, and +sat down to consider seriously the events of the +night. While they talked, the clouds drifted away, +and the whole surface of the river was flooded +with moonlight. The flame on the south bank was +seen no more. It had evidently been built as a +beacon for the men in the ship’s boat.</p> + +<p>After a time, Captain Joe, who had been sitting +in the middle of the deliberative circle in the +cabin, raced out to the deck. The boys heard him +growling, heard a conciliatory human voice, and +then a quick fall.</p> + +<p>When the boys switched on the prow light and +gained the deck, they found Captain Joe standing +guard over a slender youth who had evidently fallen +to the deck to escape being tumbled down by the +dog. They gathered about waiting for him to +speak—waiting for some explanation of his sudden +appearance on the motor boat. Captain Joe +seemed proud of his capture, and remained with +threatening teeth within an inch of the boy’s throat.</p> + +<p>“Say, you!” shouted Alex. “Did you come by +parcel post? We’ve been getting letters all right, +but no such packages as this.”</p> + +<p>“Looks to me like he must have come in a parachute,” +Jule suggested. “Where’s your boat, +kid?” he added.</p> + +<p>The visitor smiled brightly and sprang alertly +to his feet. He looked from face to face for a +moment, smiling at each in turn, and then pointed +to a light canoe bumping against the hull of the +<i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>He was a lad of, perhaps, eighteen, slender, lithe, +dark. His clothing was rough and not too clean. +His manner was intended to be ingratiating, but +was only insincere.</p> + +<p>“What about you?” demanded Alex. “Do you +think this is a passenger boat?”</p> + +<p>“A long time ago,” replied the visitor, speaking +excellent English, “I read of the <i>Rambler</i> and her +boy crew in the Quebec newspapers. When I saw +the boat here to-night, I ran away from my employer +and came out to you. I want to go with +you wherever you are going.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve got your nerve!” Alex cried.</p> + +<p>“Oh, let him alone,” Case interposed. “We’ve +had a stranger with us on every trip, so why not +take him along?”</p> + +<p>Alex took the speaker by the arm and walked +with him back to the cabin.</p> + +<p>“Say,” he said then, “this fellow may be all +right, but I don’t like the looks of his map.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll wash dishes a week for that,” Case +announced. “You’re getting so you talk too much +slang. Anyway, you shouldn’t say ‘map’—that’s +common. Say you don’t like his dial.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I guess I’ll have plenty of help washing +dishes,” Alex grunted. “But what are we going +to do with this boy?” he added.</p> + +<p>Clay now joined the two boys in the cabin and +asked the same question.</p> + +<p>“It is my idea,” he said, “that the appearance +of this lad is in some way connected with the other +events of the night.”</p> + +<p>“What did you find out about him?” asked +Clay.</p> + +<p>“He says his name is Max Michel, and that he +lives at St. Luce,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay decided, “we can’t send him away +to-night, so we’ll give him a bunk and settle the +matter to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“I just believe,” Alex interposed, “that this +boy Max could tell us something about those two +boats if he wanted to.”</p> + +<p>“I notice,” Case put in, “that he’s paying a good +deal of attention to what is going on in the cabin +just now. He may be all right, but he doesn’t look +good to me.”</p> + +<p>Clay beckoned to Jule, and the two boys entered +the cabin together, closely followed by Captain Joe, +who seemed determined to keep close watch on the +strange visitor.</p> + +<p>“How long ago did you leave St. Luce?” asked +Clay of the boy.</p> + +<p>“An hour ago,” was the answer. “I rowed up +the river near the shore where the current is not so +strong and then drifted down to the motor boat. +I called out to you before I landed, but I guess you +did not hear.”</p> + +<p>Alex, standing at the boy’s back and looking over +his head, wrinkled a freckled nose at Clay and said +by his expression that he did not believe what the +boy was saying.</p> + +<p>“Did you see a light on the point below St. Luce +not long ago?” continued Clay.</p> + +<p>The boy shook his head.</p> + +<p>“There are often lights there at night,” he said. +“Wreckers and fishermen build them for signals. +But I saw none there to-night.”</p> + +<p>“What about the four-oared boat that left St. +Luce not long ago?” Clay asked. “Do you know +the men who were in it?”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t see any such boat,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Well, crawl into a bunk here,” Clay finally said, +“and we’ll tell you in the morning what we are +going to do.”</p> + +<p>The boy did as instructed, and was, apparently, +soon sound asleep. Then the boys went out to the +deck again and sat in the brilliant moonlight watching +the settlement on the right bank.</p> + +<p>There is a railway station at St. Luce, and while +they watched and talked, the shrill challenge of a +locomotive came to their ears, followed by the low +rumbling of a heavy train.</p> + +<p>The prow light was out, and the cabin light was +out, and the cabin was dark now, because when the +boys had sought their bunks, a heavy curtain had +been drawn across the glass panel of the door. +From where the boys sat, therefore, they could see +nothing of the interior of the cabin.</p> + +<p>Five minutes after the door closed on the +stranger, he left his bunk and moved toward the +rear of the cabin. Against the back wall, stood a +square wooden table, and upon this table stood an +electric coil used for cooking. Above the table, was +a small window opening on the after deck.</p> + +<p>The catch which held the sash in place was on the +inside and was easily released. The boy opened it, +drew the swinging sash in, passed through the opening, +and sprang down to the deck.</p> + +<p>Reaching the deck, the visitor, as though familiar +with the situation, ran his hand carefully about his +feet feeling for a closed hatch. He found it at +last and, lifting it, peered into the space set aside +for the electric batteries and the extra gasoline +tanks.</p> + +<p>Reaching far under the planking, he found what +he sought—the wire connecting the electric batteries +with the motors. Listening for a moment to make +sure that his motions were not being observed, he +drew a pair of wire clippers from a pocket and cut +the supply wire. Only for the fact that the lights +on the boat were all out, this villainous act would +at once have been discovered. As it was, the boys +remained at the prow believing the visitor was still +asleep in his bunk.</p> + +<p>This act of vandalism accomplished, the boy +dropped softly over the stern into his canoe, still +trailing in the rear of the motor boat. Once in the +canoe, he laid the paddle within easy reach and propelled +the boat along the hull of the <i>Rambler</i>, toward +the prow with his hands. Once or twice +discovery seemed to the boy to be certain, for Captain +Joe came to the gunwale of the boat and +sniffed suspiciously over the rail.</p> + +<p>Once, Clay left his place at the prow and looked +over into the stream, but the moon was in the south +and a heavy shadow lay over the water on the north +side, so the dark object slipping like a snake to do +an act of mischief reached the prow unseen.</p> + +<p>At that moment the boys left the prow and moved +toward the cabin door. In another instant they +would have entered and noted the absence of their +guest, but Alex paused and pointed to lights moving +in the village of St. Luce.</p> + +<p>“There’s something going on over there,” he +said “and I believe it has something to do with +what we’ve been bumping against. There’s the letter +from the canoe, and the warning from the boat, +and the boy dropping out of the darkness on deck, +and the signal lights, and now the stir in the village. +Some one who wishes us ill is running the scenes +to-night, all right.”</p> + +<p>While the boys stood watching the lights of St. +Luce, Max caught the manila cable which held the +motor boat and drew his canoe up to it. Cutting +the cable, strand by strand, so as to cause no jar +or sudden lurching of the boat, he left it slashed +nearly through and, leaving the strain of the current +to do the rest, worked back through the shadow +and struck out up stream.</p> + +<p>Standing in the door of the cabin, the boys felt +the boat sway violently under their feet, then they +knew from the shifting lights in the village that +they were drifting swiftly down with the current. +Clay sprang to the motors, but they refused to +turn.</p> + +<p>Case hastened to the prow and lifted the end of +the cable. There was no doubt that it had been cut. +Clay made a quick examination of the motors and +saw that the electrical connection had been broken. +Then Jule called out in alarm that they were drifting +directly upon a rocky island.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink03'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER III—ARRESTED FOR PIRACY</a></h2> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i>, drifting broadside to the current, +threatened to strike full upon a rocky promontory +projecting from the island which lay in the course +of the boat. In vain Case tugged at the tiller ropes. +There was no steerage way, and the boat was beyond +control.</p> + +<p>“It looks like the last of the <i>Rambler</i>!” Case +cried as the boat drifted down. “The rock ahead +will cut her in two if we strike it.”</p> + +<p>But there was a current crossing the rocky point +from north to south, and the boat, catching it, was +drawn away, so that in time, she came, stern first, +to the curve of a little channel into which the waters +drew. For a moment, the prow swung out, and +the possibility of a continuation of the vagrant journey +was imminent.</p> + +<p>However, before the sweep of water turned the +prow fairly around, Alex was over the gunwale, +clinging with all his might to the broken cable. Clay +and Jule were at his side in a moment and, half +swimming, half stumbling, quite up to their chins +in the cold water, they held the boat until the current +swept it farther over on the sandy beach that +bordered the cove.</p> + +<p>“There you are!” shouted Alex, wading, dripping, +from the river. “The next time I take a trip +on the <i>Rambler</i>, I’m going to wear a diving suit. +I’m dead tired of getting wet.”</p> + +<p>“You’re lucky not to be at the bottom of the +river!” Clay announced.</p> + +<p>The rowboat, which lay upon the roof of the +cabin, was now brought down, a cable was taken +out of the store room, and the <i>Rambler</i> firmly +secured to a great rock which towered above the +slope of the cove.</p> + +<p>The boys stood for a moment looking over the +surface of the river, still bathed in moonlight, then +Alex rushed into the cabin and brought out a field +glass.</p> + +<p>“What I want to know just now, is who cut that +cable,” he said.</p> + +<p>“That’s easy,” Jule replied. “It was the innocent +little boy who had read all about the <i>Rambler</i> +in the Quebec newspaper.”</p> + +<p>Alex swept the river with the glass for a time +and then passed it to Clay.</p> + +<p>“There he goes,” he said, “away up the river, +heading for St. Luce! That’s the boy who disconnected +the electricity and cut the cable. That’s the +boy who we will even up with when we catch him, +too.”</p> + +<p>“And you’re the boy who’ll wash dishes for a +week for talking slang!” Jule taunted.</p> + +<p>“I’d wash dishes for a month if I could get hold +of that rat,” answered Alex, angrily. “He came +near wrecking the <i>Rambler</i>!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay said, “we may as well be getting +the motors into shape. We can’t stay on this island +long.”</p> + +<p>“If we do, there’s no knowing what will happen,” +Jule suggested. “We’ve had two letters and +a runaway to-night and the next thing is likely to +be a stick of dynamite.”</p> + +<p>“Say, suppose we repair the electric apparatus +and get away from this vicinity right now,” suggested +Case, “I don’t like the looks of things.”</p> + +<p>“Now, look here,” Alex cut in, “I’m ready to +get out of this section, but do you mind what the +first letter said about going north? Now that +means something. If the first letter hadn’t told us +to go north, and the men who threw the second letter +hadn’t believed that we were obeying instructions, +we wouldn’t have been interfered with. Now, +there’s a friendly force here, and a hostile force. +The friendly people may be mistaken in our identity, +but that doesn’t alter the fact that the hostile +element is out to do us a mischief.</p> + +<p>“I’d like to find out what it is the friendly force +expects us to do. If we can learn that, we’ll know +why the hostile force is opposing us. And so, it +looks to me that instead of running away, we would +better find out what is wanted of us. How does +that strike you, fellows? Isn’t that deduction +worthy of Sherlock Holmes?”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Clay declared, “I’m willing to investigate, +but we mustn’t spend all our time looking +into one mystery, for if we have the same luck we +had on other trips, we are likely to come across several +more before we go back to Chicago.”</p> + +<p>“I’d like to know,” Case said, as they brought +up an extra anchor and a new cable, “why we were +dumped on this island.”</p> + +<p>“To get us out of the way, probably,” Jule commented. +“They undoubtedly expected to steal or +wreck the <i>Rambler</i>.”</p> + +<p>“But the <i>Rambler</i>,” Alex laughed, “has the +luck of the Irish, so she’s still able to travel.”</p> + +<p>The island upon which the boat had been cast, +lay only a short distance from the south shore of +the river. In fact, at low water, when the tide was +out, it might have been possible to pass to the mainland +on dry ground.</p> + +<p>Its location was not more than two miles below +the little landing at St. Luce. In fact, as the boys +afterwards decided, it must have been from this +island that the signal flame had burned early in the +evening.</p> + +<p>Working busily on the repairs, the boys did not +notice the arrival upon the island of two roughly +dressed fellows, who landed from a small boat and +who took great pains to keep rocky elevations between +themselves and the cove where the boat lay.</p> + +<p>“I wonder,” Jule asked, sitting down on the prow +after a struggle with the new cable, “whether the +stories I have read about wreckers along the St. +Lawrence are true.”</p> + +<p>While the boys discussed the possibility of +wreckers working along the stream, one of the two +men clambered to an elevation which was in turn +hidden from the cove by a higher one and waved a +red and blue handkerchief toward the shore.</p> + +<p>The tide was now running out, and the channel +between the island and the mainland swirled like a +mill-race. This, however, did not prevent the +launching of a boat from the shore, the same being +manned by four men. They edged along the shore +and then, passing boldly into the current, landed +on the island at a point east of the cove. There +they secreted their boat and moved on toward the +place where the boys, all unconscious of their presence, +were repairing the damages wrought by their +treacherous guest.</p> + +<p>It was Captain Joe who gave the first intimation +of the presence of others on the island. He sprang +from the boat, paddled through the shallow water +between the hull and the shore, and set out for the +elevation where the man who had signaled had been +standing.</p> + +<p>The boys heard a cry of pain, a shout of anger +and a pistol shot, and then Captain Joe came running +back to where the <i>Rambler</i> lay.</p> + +<p>“What was it you said about wreckers?” Case +asked with a startled look. “No beast or bird fired +that shot!”</p> + +<p>“I was only wondering,” Jule answered, +“whether there are really wreckers at work along +the river. That’s the answer!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay said, “we’ll get on the boat to talk +it over! In the meantime, we’ll be putting space +between the <i>Rambler</i> and this island. If ever a +wrecker’s beacon told where to lure a boat to be +plundered, that flame we saw on the island told our +sneaking guest when to cut the <i>Rambler</i> loose!”</p> + +<p>The boys hastened on board and Clay ran to the +motors. At that instant, four men made their appearance +on the ledge above the cove, beckoning +with their hands and calling out to the boys that +they had something of importance to say to them.</p> + +<p>“They look to me like triple-plated thieves,” +Alex commented, “and I wouldn’t be caught on +an island with them for a farm.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe seemed to approve of this decision, +for he stood with his feet braced, growling furiously +at the beckoning men.</p> + +<p>“Boat ahoy!” one of the men cried. “We have +a message for you.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Case answered, “you may send it +by wireless.”</p> + +<p>“But it is important!” came from the man.</p> + +<p>During this brief conversation, the motors were +slowly drawing the <i>Rambler</i> out of the sandy cove, +the electric connection having been made, and the +men were rapidly approaching the shore. The boat +moved slowly, for the keel was dragging slightly +in the sand, and the wreckers, if such they were, +stood at the water’s edge before the craft was more +than a dozen yards away.</p> + +<p>Directly, all appearance of friendship ceased, and +the men stood threatening the boys with automatic +guns.</p> + +<p>“Run back!” one of the men cried, “or we’ll +pick you off like pigeons!”</p> + +<p>The boys had already taken their automatic revolvers +from the cabin, and now, instead of obeying +the command of the outlaws, they dropped +down behind the gunwale and sent forth a volley +not intended to injure, but only to frighten.</p> + +<p>Apparently undismayed by the shots, the outlaws +passed boldly down the shore line seeking to keep +pace with the motor boat as she drew out of the +cove. Every moment the motors were gaining +speed. In another minute, the <i>Rambler</i> would be +entirely beyond the reach of the outlaws.</p> + +<p>Apparently hopeless of coercing the boys into a +return, the outlaws now began shooting. Bullets +pinged against the gunwale and imbedded themselves +in the walls of the cabin but did no damage.</p> + +<p>A tinge of color was now showing in the east. +Birds were astir in the moving currents of the air, +and lights flashed dimly forth from the distant +houses of St. Luce. Against the ruddy glow of the +sky, a river steamer lifted its column of smoke. +Observing the approach of the vessel, the outlaws +redoubled their efforts to frighten the boys into instant +submission.</p> + +<p>However, the <i>Rambler</i> was gaining speed, and +the incident would have been closed in a moment if +the connection made between the batteries and the +motors had not become disarranged. In the haste +of making the repairs, the work had not been properly +done.</p> + +<p>The propeller ceased its revolutions and the boat +dropped back toward the cove. Evidently guessing +what had taken place on board, the outlaws gathered +at the point where it seemed certain that she +would become beached.</p> + +<p>Understanding what would take place if the +motor boat dropped back, the boys fired volley after +volley in order to attract the attention of those on +the steamer. There came a jangling of bells from +the advancing craft, and she slowed down and +headed for the point. The outlaws fired a parting +volley and disappeared among the rocks.</p> + +<p>The steamer continued on her course toward the +little island, but paused a few yards away and the +boys saw a rowboat dropped to the river. The +<i>Rambler</i> continued to drift toward the beach she +had so recently left and the rowboat headed for +that point.</p> + +<p>Fearful that the boat would again come within +reach of the outlaws, Clay and Case now rushed to +the prow, and threw the supply anchor over just in +time to prevent a collision between a nest of rocks +and the stern of the boat.</p> + +<p>The outlaws were now out of sight, and the boys +felt secure in the protection of the steamer, but +directly the situation was changed, for a show of +arms was seen on board the rowboat, and the boys +were suddenly ordered to throw up their hands.</p> + +<p>“You fellows are nicely rigged out—fine motor +boat, and all that,” one of the men in the boat +shouted, “but the days of river pirates on the St. +Lawrence are over. You are all under arrest.”</p> + +<p>“Gee whiz!” shouted Alex. “Is this what you +call a pinch?”</p> + +<p>“It is what we call a clean-up,” replied one of the +men in the boat, rowing up to the <i>Rambler</i>. +“We’ve been watching for you fellows, and now +we’ve got you.”</p> + +<p>“And what are you going to do with us?” asked +Clay restraining his anger and indignation with difficulty.</p> + +<p>“We’re going to take you up to Quebec and put +you on trial for piracy!”</p> + +<p>“That’ll be fine!” Jule commented.</p> + +<p>The boys tried to smile and make light of the +situation as the four men from the steamer boarded +the <i>Rambler</i>, but they all understood that it was a +very serious proposition that they were facing.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink04'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER IV—CONCERNING A LOST CHANNEL</a></h2> + +<p>The men from the steamer took possession of +the <i>Rambler</i> impudently, acting like ignorant men +clothed with small authority. The boys were +ordered to the cabin and the door locked.</p> + +<p>“We left our manacles on board the Sybil,” one +of the men announced, “or we’d rig you out with +some of the King’s jewelry.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll overlook the slight for the present,” Case +flared back, “but you be sure and bring the jewels +at the first opportunity.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll get them quick enough,” snarled one of +the men. “Three days ago we received notice that +you were coming, and we’ve been watching for you +ever since. You came along just in time to be nicely +trapped.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean that you were watching for the +<i>Rambler</i>?” asked Clay, lifting his voice in order +that he might be heard through the glass panel of +the door. “I’d like to have you tell me about +that.”</p> + +<p>“No one knew the shape you would come in,” +was the gruff reply. “We only knew that a band +of pirates and wreckers who had been luring vessels +on the rocks along the bay was preparing to +visit the St. Lawrence. Perhaps you will tell me +where you stole this fine boat?”</p> + +<p>“They must have a big foolish house in this +province,” Alex taunted, “if all the King’s officers +are as crazy in the cupola as you are.”</p> + +<p>“Let them alone,” urged Clay. “No use in talking +to men of their stripe. Wait until we get to the +captain of the steamer.”</p> + +<p>The sailors continued to question the boys, resorting +now and then to insulting epithets, but the +lads sat dumbly in the cabin until the arrival of +Captain Morgan, in charge of the steamer Sybil. +To express it mildly, they were all very much elated +at the appearance of Captain Morgan, who unlocked +the cabin door, called them out on deck and greeted +them pleasantly. They all wanted to shake hands +with him.</p> + +<p>“It seems,” Clay said to the captain, as the latter +motioned to the sailors to move up to the prow, +“that your men have captured a band of bold, bad +men. It was a daring thing for them to do!”</p> + +<p>The captain laughed until his sides shook, and +the men, gathered on the forward part of the deck, +scowled fiercely, to which the captain paid no attention +at all.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps there is an excuse for the men,” Captain +Morgan finally said, suppressing his laughter. +“We heard firing as we came up the river, and +wreckers are known to be about.”</p> + +<p>“If you have any doubt as to the presence of +wreckers,” Clay explained, “just send your ruffians +over on the island. The men who did most of the +shooting are there. They may also be able to find +the ashes of the signal fire the outlaws lighted.”</p> + +<p>“That will be good exercise for them,” Jule cut +in, “and perhaps they won’t be so brave when they +find they haven’t boys to deal with.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean to tell me that the wreckers are +now on the island?” asked the captain. “If they +are, we may yet be able to make a capture.”</p> + +<p>“They were on the island just before you came +up,” Clay answered, “and I presume they are there +yet. We’ll help you take them.”</p> + +<p>The captain laughed and looked critically at the +slender, well-dressed youngsters, then his eyes +turned to the white bulldog and the bear, now sniffing +suspiciously at his legs.</p> + +<p>“It seems to me,” he said, “that I have heard of +this outfit before! When I came aboard I thought +I recognized the name of the <i>Rambler</i>. This menagerie +of yours settles the point. You brought +Captain Joe, the dog, from Para, on the Amazon +and Teddy, the cub, from British Columbia.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve got it,” Alex cried, “but how did you +come to know so much about us? We rather expected +to get away from our damaged reputations +up here,” he added with a wink and a grin.</p> + +<p>“You have long been famous in these parts,” the +captain answered, “Ever since the <i>Rambler</i> came +riding up to the Newfoundland coast on a flat car. +It is a wonder that my men did not recognize you.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe they can read,” laughed Alex. +“Suppose you send them over on the island to see +if they can recognize some of the outlaws.”</p> + +<p>One of the sailors approached Captain Morgan, +saluted, and pointed to the narrow channel between +the island and the mainland. The sun was now +shining brightly in the sky, and the whole landscape +lay bright under its strong and rosy light. Half +way across the channel, its rays glinted on splashing +oars, and from the shore came hoarse commands.</p> + +<p>“There are men leaving the island, sir,” the sailor +said. “Perhaps we did get hold of the wrong fellows.”</p> + +<p>“I should think you did,” laughed the captain, +“but there may be time to correct the error. Signal +to the steamer for more men, and drift down +in your boats. You may be able to capture some +of those outlaws, and,” he added with a smile as +the sailor turned away, “don’t forget that there is +a reward offered for every one of them.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we’d better go with the men,” suggested +Case. “We aren’t anxious to get where +there’s shooting going on, but we need the money.”</p> + +<p>“I prefer,” the captain replied, “that you come +on board the Sybil with me. I’ll have the cook get +up a fine breakfast, and you boys can tell me all +about your river trips. I have always been interested +in such journeys and have long planned to +take one myself.”</p> + +<p>The boys readily agreed to this arrangement, +Alex declaring that it would save the washing of +at least one mess of dishes, and all were soon seated +in the captain’s cosy room.</p> + +<p>“I’ll wait here an hour,” Captain Morgan said, +“to give my men a chance to gather in some of the +rewards, but after that I must be on my way. +We shall be late now, on account of this delay.”</p> + +<p>The boys briefly described their river trips on +the Amazon, the Columbia, the Colorado and the +Mississippi, and were rewarded with a breakfast +which Alex admitted was almost as good as he +could cook himself.</p> + +<p>“And now,” Clay said, as they all stood on the +deck, watching the sailors returning empty-handed +from their quest of the outlaws, “I wish you would +tell me what all this rural free delivery business +we’ve encountered means. We’ve been puzzling +over it all night.”</p> + +<p>As he spoke he handed the first letter—the one +delivered by the mysterious canoeist—to the captain, +who smiled as he looked at it.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you about that,” he said. “There is a +man over in Quebec who claims that he owns about +half of the province under a grant of land made to +Jacques Cartier in 1541 by Francis I. of France. +This grant, or charter, he claims, was confirmed to +his family, the Fontenelles, in 1603 by Samuel de +Champlain, who was sent to Canada by de Chaste, +upon whom King Louis XIII. had generously bestowed +about half of the new world.</p> + +<p>“Fontenelle claims that all the kings and presidents +of France from 1541 down to the present +time have confirmed this grant so far as certain +mineral and timber properties are concerned. For +years Fontenelle has been trying to gain possession +of the original charter brought to this country by +Cartier, but has never succeeded.”</p> + +<p>“Would he secure a large amount of property +if he found it?” asked Alex. “How did it ever +become lost?”</p> + +<p>“It disappeared from Cartier’s hands,” was the +reply. “It is believed that the recovery of the +original charter would make the Fontenelles very +wealthy, especially as the family jewels, worth millions +of francs, are said to have been lost with the +important document.”</p> + +<p>“I think they had their nerve to send family +jewels to America in 1541,” Case cut in. “Might +have known they would be lost.”</p> + +<p>“You must remember,” Captain Morgan replied, +“that for years during and following the reign of +Francis I. the protestant persecutions kept France +in a turmoil. It was hinted that the Fontenelles did +not favor these persecutions and that the jewels +were shipped to the new world for greater safety. +What I am telling you now, remember, is only +tradition, and not history. To be frank with you, +I will say that I don’t believe it myself. It is too +misty.”</p> + +<p>“It is interesting, anyway,” Clay declared, “and +I’d like to hear more about it, but tell me this—why +should the Fontenelles, or their agents, send this +letter to us? And why should they send it, if at +all, in so mysterious a manner?”</p> + +<p>“I have heard,” Captain Morgan replied, “that +an expedition for the recovery of this original charter +was being fitted out at Quebec. Your boat may +have been mistaken for the one carrying the +searchers.”</p> + +<p>“Searching in this wild country?” questioned +Alex. “Where do they think this blooming charter +is, I’d like to know?”</p> + +<p>Captain Morgan took the crude map into his +hands and pointed to an egg-shaped peninsula reaching +out into the St. Lawrence between the mouths +of two rivers.</p> + +<p>“There is said to be a lost channel somewhere in +that vicinity,” he said, “and tradition has it that +the papers and the jewels were hidden on its shore. +The searchers, for years, have been in the hope of +finding this lost channel. They have never succeeded.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’re almost on the ground,” cried Jule. +“Where do we go to reach this peninsula? We +might be lucky enough to find this channel.”</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t exist,” smiled Captain Morgan. +“Every inch of that country has been gone over +with a microscope, almost, and there is no lost +channel there. At least, it can’t be found.”</p> + +<p>“There is one on the map, anyway,” Alex observed.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay laughed, “we have been mixed up +with some one else’s affairs on every one of our +river trips, and we may as well keep up the record, +so I propose that we spend a few days looking for +this lost charter and these family jewels.”</p> + +<p>The boys all agreed to the proposition, and even +Captain Morgan seemed to gain enthusiasm as they +talked over their plans.</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t mind being with you,” the captain +said, “but of course, I can’t go. However, if you +keep on across the river, straight to the north, you’ll +come to the egg-shaped peninsula. Keep to the right +of it, and you’ll enter a broad river. This map +shows you where the lost channel is claimed to have +existed. Go to it, kids, and good luck go with +you!”</p> + +<p>“Now then that point is settled,” Clay smiled, +taking the second letter from his pocket, “tell us +what this means.”</p> + +<p>Captain Morgan looked over the paper carefully +before making any reply. His face clouded and an +expression of anger came to his eyes.</p> + +<p>“The fact of the matter is,” he said, “that for +two hundred years the Fontenelles have met with +opposition in their search for the lost channel. +Some of the land claimed under the charter is now +held by innocent purchasers who believe their title +to be perfect.</p> + +<p>“There is no doubt that such might come to a +fair understanding with the Fontenelles if the charter +should ever be found, but it is alleged that an +association has been formed by the wealthier persons +who are interested to defeat any attempt made +to discover the charter. They claim, of course, that +with the charter in their possession the Fontenelles +would be able to make their own exorbitant terms.”</p> + +<p>“I knew it!” Alex cried. “We are in between +two hostile interests again! It always happens that +way. But we like it!”</p> + +<p>“I have been thinking,” Captain Morgan went +on, “that the men who attempted to wreck the +<i>Rambler</i> are not river pirates at all, but men sent +here to obstruct, as far as possible, those in search +of the lost channel. It certainly looks that way.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay remarked, “they haven’t got any +motor boat, and we’ve got one that can almost beat +the sun around the earth, so we’ll just run away +from them. In an hour after you leave here, we’ll +be in the east river looking for the channel which +is said to have connected it in past years with the +one paralleling it on the west.”</p> + +<p>The sailors who had been searching now reported +to the captain that no strangers had been seen by +them on the island, and it was agreed that the outlaws, +whether wreckers or men employed to obstruct +the search for the lost channel, had taken +to the south shore. Captain Morgan shook the +boys warmly by the hand as they parted.</p> + +<p>“If you say any more about your plans,” he said, +“I’ll be going with you. Already I can sense the +smoke of your campfire, and smell the odor of the +summer woods. There are fine fish up in those +rivers, boys, great shiny, gamy things that fight +like the dickens in the stream and melt like butter +in the mouth.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll send you out some,” promised Clay, and +the steamer’s boat carried the boys back to the +<i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>The needed repairs were soon accomplished, and +when night fell the motor boat lay under a roof of +leaves in a deep cove on one of the rivers behind +the egg-shaped peninsula. Just above the anchorage +the water tumbled, from a high ledge. The boys +had no idea of remaining on board that night, so +they built a roaring campfire on shore and stretched +hammocks from the trees.</p> + +<p>“Right here,” Clay said as the moon rose, “right +about where we are sitting, there may be a lost +channel!”</p> + +<p>“That’s all right,” grinned Alex, “but I don’t +see myself getting very wet sitting on it.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t blame any old channel for getting lost +in this wild country,” Case contributed. “We’ll be +lucky if we don’t get lost ourselves. Hear the owls +laughing at us!”</p> + +<p>“I’ve been listening to the owls,” Clay said, “and +I have concluded that they are fake owls. If you’ll +listen, you will hear signals.”</p> + +<p>The boys listened for a long time, and then above +the rush of the river and the murmur of the leaves +in the wind, came a long, low call which seemed to +them to be a very bad imitation of owl talk.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink05'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER V—TEDDY GIVES AN EXHIBITION</a></h2> + +<p>“There is one sure thing,” Clay said, as the boys +listened, “and that is that we have got to watch the +<i>Rambler</i> to-night. I propose that we take down +the hammocks and go back to our bunks.”</p> + +<p>“It’s a shame to sleep in that little cabin,” Alex +protested, “when we’ve got the whole wide world +to snore in. Suppose you boys remain here on +shore, and let me stand guard on the boat.”</p> + +<p>“That will be nice!” Jule laughed. “Alex +always gets his soundest sleep when he’s on guard.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you worry about me,” Alex said, “I’ll +keep awake, all right. Besides, I want to hear the +owls talk.”</p> + +<p>“I think we would better all go back to the <i>Rambler</i>,” +Clay advised. “We can anchor her farther +out in the stream, leave one on guard, and so pass +a quiet night. It looks risky to leave the boat where +she is.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps that’s what we ought to do,” Alex +agreed, giving Jule a nudge in the ribs with his +elbow. “Who’s going to stand watch?”</p> + +<p>“I will,” Case offered. “I’ll sit up until daylight, +and then you boys can get up and catch fish +for breakfast.”</p> + +<p>“I want a fish for breakfast two feet long,” +Alex declared. “I’ll catch it and cook it in Indian +style. That will be fine!”</p> + +<p>“How do you cook fish a la Indian?” asked +Case.</p> + +<p>“Aw, you know,” Alex replied. “First, you +get your fish; then you dig a deep hole in the ground +and fill it full of stones. Then you build a roaring +fire on the stones. Then you wrap your fish up +in leaves and put it on the hot stones and cover it +up. Then, if you want it to cook quick, you must +build a fire on top. They sell fish cooked in that +way at two dollars an order in Chicago.”</p> + +<p>“Cook it any way you want to,” Clay said, “only +don’t muff it the way Case does when he tries to +make biscuits. We’ll be hungry.”</p> + +<p>Taking down the hammocks, the boys moved back +to the <i>Rambler</i>. Clay, Alex, and Jule, after listening +in vain for a time for more signals from the +woods, finally went to their bunks, leaving Case +sitting on the deck, across which a great tree on the +east bank threw a long blur of shade.</p> + +<p>Clay and Jule were soon sound asleep, but Alex +lay awake listening. There was a notion at the +back of his brain that the signals heard had been +treated too lightly. He knew that Clay, always +active and ready for any emergency, considered the +party secure in midstream, but he was by no means +satisfied that the best steps for the protection of +the boat had been taken.</p> + +<p>After a time he arose, dressed himself, and softly +slipped out on deck, leaving the rest sleeping in the +cabin.</p> + +<p>“It isn’t morning yet,” Case said, speaking out +of the shadow. “Why don’t you go back to bed? +You’ll be sleepy to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“Have you heard any more owl talk?” asked +Alex.</p> + +<p>“Not a line,” replied Case. “Go on back to +bed.”</p> + +<p>Alex did go back to bed, but could not sleep. +Presently the long-expected owl-call came from +the north, and then Teddy rubbed his soft nose +against the boy’s hand.</p> + +<p>“What do you want, old man?” whispered Alex. +“Does that hooting warn you of danger, too?”</p> + +<p>The cub put his paws upon the edge of the bunk +and tried to answer in bear talk that it did.</p> + +<p>“All right,” Alex said, “I’ll just go out and see +about it.”</p> + +<p>When he reached the deck for the second time, +Case stood at the gunwale listening. The call came +again from the woods.</p> + +<p>“Now you hear it, don’t you?” asked Alex, +scornfully. “I reckon you fellows would sit around +here and let those wops carry off the boat.”</p> + +<p>“Well, haven’t they got to show up before we +can do anything to them?” asked Case reproachfully. +“I guess they have.”</p> + +<p>“I’d like to know what they are doing,” Alex +wondered, “and I just believe I could sneak out +and learn something about it. It makes me nervous, +waiting here for them to get in the first blow.”</p> + +<p>“If I had a house and lot for every time you’ve +been lost on our river trips,” Case grinned, “I’d +own the biggest city in the world. You go back to +bed, or I’ll get Clay out here to tie you up.”</p> + +<p>Teddy now came sniffing where the two boys +stood, and, lifting his paws to the gunwale, looked +over in the forest.</p> + +<p>“See that!” Alex exclaimed. “Even the bear +knows there is something wrong on! If you’ll keep +that twirler of yours still for a little while, I’ll go +and see what it is.”</p> + +<p>“You’re the wise little sleuth!” Case declared. +“Go on back to bed and dream that you’re Nick of +the Woods.”</p> + +<p>“Tell you what,” Alex said, “we’ll tie a line to +the rowboat, and I’ll row ashore, then you pull the +boat back, and I’ll creep out in the thicket and see +what I can discover. I believe those outlaws will +gather around the campfire. Anyway, they’re +foolish if they don’t.”</p> + +<p>“If you take my advice,” Case said, “you won’t +go, but if you insist on it, I’ll draw the boat back, +for our own protection.”</p> + +<p>Very reluctantly, then, Case assisted in getting +the boat into the river, found a long line to attach +to the prow, and helped the boy away on his journey. +He felt guilty for aiding in the adventure.</p> + +<p>Alex landed in a thicket almost straight west of +the <i>Rambler</i>, and at once secreted himself. No signals +had been heard for some moments, and the boy +believed that he had reached the shore without attracting +attention. Case drew the boat back and +sat waiting.</p> + +<p>Alex remained perfectly still in his hiding-place +for some moments. There was only the noises of +river and forest. To the west, the embers of the +campfire made a faint red glow in the moonlight.</p> + +<p>Just as the boy was about to move out of the +thicket, he heard a heavy splash in the river, followed +by words of command and entreaty from +Case. The splashing continued, and presently the +bushes at the edge of the stream were moved by an +entering body.</p> + +<p>“That’s Captain Joe!” thought Alex. “He’s +always ready for a run in the woods. I suppose I +ought to send him back.”</p> + +<p>But it was not Captain Joe that thrust a wet nose +into Alex’s hand. It was Teddy, the bear cub, and +his greeting was so friendly and sincere that all +thoughts of sending him back to the boat vanished +from the boy’s mind. Teddy shook the water from +his coat like a great dog, and cuddled up to the boy +as if thanking him.</p> + +<p>“You’re a runaway bear,” Alex whispered to +the cub, “and I ought to send you back, but I’ll +just see if you know how to behave in the kind of +society I am going to mix with. Will you be +good?”</p> + +<p>Teddy declared in his best bear talk that he would +be good, and the boy and the cub lay in the thicket, +still listening, for a long time before moving. Then +Alex crept toward the campfire.</p> + +<p>When he came to a considerable rise in the center +of the ground between the two streams, he found +that the ground was broken and rocky. It seemed +to him that a great crag had formerly risen where +he stood, and that some distant convulsion of nature +had shattered it.</p> + +<p>To the south, between the rivers and at no great +distance from the egg-shaped peninsula, ran a long, +rocky ridge. Making his way to this, he secreted +himself in the shadow of a boulder and settled down +to watch and listen.</p> + +<p>After a time Teddy grew impatient at the inactivity +thus forced upon him, and began moving restlessly +about.</p> + +<p>“Bear!” warned Alex, “if you make any more +racket here, I’ll send you back to the boat. We’re +supposed to be sleuthing!”</p> + +<p>Teddy evidently did not like the idea of being +sent back to the boat, or of keeping still either, so +he almost immediately disappeared, notwithstanding +Alex’s efforts to detain him by main force. The +boy called to him in vain.</p> + +<p>“Now,” thought Alex, “the cub has gone and +done it! He’ll thrash around in the woods and scare +my outlaws away. I wish I had tied him up on +the boat. I might have known he would make +trouble.”</p> + +<p>The boy waited a long time, but the cub did not +return. Now and then he could hear him moving +about in the thicket.</p> + +<p>“He’s just laughing in his sleeve at me!” complained +the boy. “I wish I had hold of him!”</p> + +<p>Directly a sound other than that made by the +bear came to the ears of the listening boy. Some +one was creeping towards his shelter. He could +see no one, for the shadows were thick at the +point from which the sounds proceeded, but presently, +he heard a voice.</p> + +<p>“They went back to the boat,” some one said +gruffly.</p> + +<p>“That’s all the better for us,” another spoke.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know about that,” the first speaker +said.</p> + +<p>“Why, we’ll just cut her out and take boys and +boat and all.”</p> + +<p>“That’s easier said than done,” was the reply. +“Those boys are no spring chickens. They have +guns and they know how to use them.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” the other chided, “it isn’t my fault that +they went back to the boat. If you hadn’t been +giving your confounded signals, they would have +slept by the fire and everything would have been +easy.”</p> + +<p>Alex listened with his heart beating anxiously. +There was no longer any doubt that the right construction +had been placed on the signals which had +been heard. The outlaws who had attacked them in +the cove were now on the peninsula, ready to make +trouble.</p> + +<p>While the boy listened for further conversation, +a rustling in the thicket at the base of the cliff told +him that Teddy, the cub, was still in that vicinity. +He chuckled at the thought which came to him.</p> + +<p>“I wish I had the little rascal here,” he mused. +“I think he might be able to do something in the +line of giving those fellows exercise! I wish I +could get over to him.”</p> + +<p>The boy started in the direction of the sound, +but paused when he heard one of the men saying:</p> + +<p>“Where are the others?”</p> + +<p>“Down on the river shore,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Then what is all that noise?” demanded the +other.</p> + +<p>“I don’t hear any noise,” was the surly reply.</p> + +<p>“There is some one moving in the bushes.”</p> + +<p>“Then it must be one of the boys,” Alex heard, +“and I think we had better investigate. It would +be luck to catch one of them.”</p> + +<p>“It wouldn’t be any luck for me to be caught,” +thought Alex, “and so I’ll just make a sneak back +to the boat. I’ve learned all I wanted to know, +anyway.”</p> + +<p>He started away, but almost at his first motion a +stone became detached from the ledge at his side +and went thundering down toward the spot from +which the voices had proceeded.</p> + +<p>“There!” one of the men cried, “I told you there +was some one here.”</p> + +<p>Together the men immediately rushed to the +spot where Alex lay hidden. They rustled through +the bushes without any attempt at concealment, +scrambling up the acclivity with the use of both +hands and feet.</p> + +<p>As they advanced another rustling came from the +left, and Alex saw Teddy on the way back to his +side. The moon, creeping farther to the south, +found an opening in the dense foliage above the +ledge, and threw a long shaft of light upon the +exact spot where Alex lay, revolver in hand, waiting +for the expected attack.</p> + +<p>He moved out of this natural limelight hastily, +but as he did so another figure entered it. Advancing +swiftly, the men who had discovered the +location of the boy, saw him disappear and saw the +new figure which came upon the scene. They +stopped instantly.</p> + +<p>To their excited imaginations Teddy, standing +somewhat above their heads, seemed to be at least +nine feet high! Evidently trying to propitiate +Alex for running away from him, the cub set +about practicing all the stunts the boys had been +teaching him for months.</p> + +<p>Standing upon his hind legs, he extended his +paws in a boxing attitude and pranced about, as he +had been taught to do, in all the attitudes of the +prize ring. The hair on his neck and back seemed +to bristle with anger. His little round eyes, bright +in the moonlight, twinkled viciously!</p> + +<p>The men who were watching this trained exhibition, +held their breaths in terror. They expected +to be attacked by the animal immediately. Directly, +they began backing slowly away. Then +Teddy broke into his pet amusement, a whirling +half-dance and they turned and ran, stumbling +down the declivity, brushing through the briars +and clinging vines of the thicket, and finally disappearing +in the shadows farther upstream!</p> + +<p>It did not take Alex long to find his way to the +cub.</p> + +<p>“You certainly are enough to scare the life out +of a stranger,” he said, addressing the bear. “If +you don’t mind, now, we’ll go back to the boat. +We’ve got news for the boys, at any rate.”</p> + +<p>But Teddy was not inclined to go back to the +close cabin. He wanted a longer run in the woods. +Before Alex could seize the collar which had been +placed about his neck, he was away again. Alex +pursued him for some distance, and then turned +back toward the boat.</p> + +<p>When he reached the shore and called softly to +Case to row the boat over to him, there was no +answer from the craft, as the rush of the river +drowned his voice, but a most unexpected one +came from the shore back of him. He turned +quickly to see the barrel of a gun shining in the +moonlight. He reached for his own weapon, but +a hand caught his wrist and held it, as if in a grasp +of iron.</p> + +<p>“All right, kid,” a harsh voice said, “if they +don’t want you on your boat, we’ll give you a home +on ours. We’ve got the snuggest little craft upstream +you ever saw. You’re welcome to it, only it +may be dangerous for you to try to get away or +make any noise!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink06'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VI—CAPTAIN JOE TAKES A PRISONER</a></h2> + +<p>Case waited patiently a long time for the return +of his chum. When it came near midnight he decided +to awaken Clay and inform him of the situation. +The latter was out of his bed instantly.</p> + +<p>“He shouldn’t have gone,” the boy said, anxiously. +“There is no doubt that he is in trouble of +some kind. I’m sorry for this!”</p> + +<p>“Well, he would go,” Case urged, “and he +promised to go only to the shore and look around. +Just after he left, Teddy splashed off the boat and +ran into the thicket. I presume the two are together.”</p> + +<p>“Of course they’re together,” said Clay, “That +is, if Teddy hasn’t been discovered and shot. That +is likely to happen.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we do?” asked Case anxiously.</p> + +<p>“It isn’t much use to go into the thicket after +him,” Clay decided. “There is plenty of moonlight +here, it is true, but the foliage must make it +very dark in the forest. It would be like looking +for a special pebble on the beach to try to find him +now. We’ll have to wait.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps Teddy will come and bring us news,” +suggested Case. “I have known him to do such +things. He’s a wise little bear.”</p> + +<p>There was no more sleep on board the <i>Rambler</i> +that night. With the first flush of dawn Clay and +Jule were abroad in the forest, leaving Case on +watch. Although they searched patiently for a +long time, no trace of the missing boy could be +discovered.</p> + +<p>Here and there were tracks which must have +been made by Teddy, but it was not certain that the +two had been together. After a time the boys returned +to the bank of the river just above the location +of the <i>Rambler</i>. There they found where a +boat had been drawn up to the bank.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how they ever got a boat by us,” +Clay argued, “but they certainly did, for they +couldn’t have got here first. They must have +sneaked up the east shore in the shadows and +landed above the <i>Rambler</i>. Are you sure that no +boat passed down after Alex left?” he asked of +Case. “One might have drifted down without +making much noise.”</p> + +<p>“I was awake every minute of the time,” Case +insisted, “and no boat passed down. When the +moon swung around to the south, the whole river +was illuminated. I would have seen any craft that +passed.”</p> + +<p>“Then it is certain that the intruders are still +up river, perhaps above the falls, and I am afraid +that Alex is where they are. That little rascal is +always getting lost! He should have remained on +board.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, he gets lost,” admitted Case, loyally, +“but he always comes out on top in the end. There +wouldn’t be any fun if Alex and Teddy were not +always getting into trouble. It sort of keeps things +moving!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay concluded, “the place to look for +the boy is, as I said before, upstream. Now, the +question is, shall we take the <i>Rambler</i> up?”</p> + +<p>“I am afraid the motors would declare our presence,” +Case observed, speaking from the deck of +the boat, “and, besides, we couldn’t go very far on +account of the falls, so, perhaps, we would better +go up as far as we can in the rowboat, making as +little noise as possible.”</p> + +<p>“And what’s the matter with putting Captain +Joe on shore?” asked Jule. “He may be able to +point out the spot where the men left the river. +Anyhow, it won’t do any harm to try.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a good idea,” declared Clay, “and I’ll +go along with him.”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid you’ll find it pretty rough walking +along that bank,” Case suggested, “for the country +is rocky and leads up to the plateau above the +falls, and small streams may run in from the peninsula. +You might have to swim when you wasn’t +climbing hills.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll try it a short distance, anyway,” Clay answered, +“and you, Case, remain on board and let +Jule row up in the boat.”</p> + +<p>This arrangement was carried out, and in a short +time, the little boat was moving upstream, with +Jule pulling cautiously at the oars. Clay found +the bank a difficult one to ascend. He was obliged +to wade through small creeks and climb rocky +heights, but he kept steadily on his way, with Captain +Joe at his heels.</p> + +<p>At last, they came to a creek which ran into the +river at the foot of the falls. On the south side of +this creek, for some distance in, was a level, grassy +plateau, and here Captain Joe picked up the scent +they were looking for. The south bank showed +that a boat had recently been drawn up there.</p> + +<p>Disregarding, for the time being, all commands +from the boy, the dog raced up the small stream, +and finally disappeared in a thicket.</p> + +<p>Clay hesitated, undecided as to whether he +ought to follow the dog at once or return to notify +Jule of his discovery and secure his assistance.</p> + +<p>He had already lost sight of the dog, so he concluded +that he might as well return to Jule. This +he did, and in a short time, the boat was anchored +at the mouth of the creek, and the boys were pressing +on into the thicket. Captain Joe was nowhere +in sight.</p> + +<p>“They certainly are on this side of the creek,” +Clay reasoned, “for they couldn’t very well make +progress on the other side unless they traveled in +an aeroplane.”</p> + +<p>There were no tracks to follow, no indications +of any one having passed that way recently, but the +boys kept pluckily on, listening now and then for +some sign from the dog.</p> + +<p>“If he finds Alex,” Jule declared, “he’ll make +a note of it, and we’ll hear a racket fit to wake the +dead.”</p> + +<p>“And that will warn the outlaws of our approach,” +said Clay in a discouraged tone of voice. +“Perhaps we did wrong to bring the dog.”</p> + +<p>“You may be sure Captain Joe will give a good +account of himself,” Jule said confidently. “He +may make a racket, but it’s dollars to apples that +they won’t catch him.”</p> + +<p>In a short time the clamor the boys had been expecting +came from the forest beyond. Captain Joe +was barking and growling and, judging from the +commotion in the copse, was evidently threshing +about.</p> + +<p>“That’s a scrap,” Jule declared. “Perhaps he +has caught one of the men. If he has, I hope he’s +got him by the throat.”</p> + +<p>Pressing into the interior of the forest, the level +grassy plateau having long since disappeared, the +boys finally came to a small cleared glade and discovered +the cause of Captain Joe’s enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>Teddy, the cub, was standing with his back to +the hole of a giant tree inviting the dog to a boxing +match. Captain Joe’s clamor indicated only delight +at the meeting with his friend.</p> + +<p>Before showing themselves in the glade, the +boys looked in every direction for some indication +of the outlaws, but there was no sign of human +life anywhere near them. No noise, save the cries +of the creatures of the air and the jungle.</p> + +<p>“You’re a fine old scout, Captain Joe,” whispered +Clay as he finally advanced into the glade. +“You notify everybody within a mile of us as to +our location, but you don’t do a thing to help us +find Alex.”</p> + +<p>At mention of the lost boy’s name, Teddy +dropped down from his antagonistic attitude, and, +thrusting a soft muzzle against Clay’s hand, moved +away to the west.</p> + +<p>“The cub has more sense than the dog,” Jule +exclaimed. “Captain Joe makes a noise, and +Teddy does the piloting. Do you suppose he knows +where Alex is?” he added.</p> + +<p>“It seems to me that he is trying to tell us something,” +Clay replied. “Anyway, we may as well +follow him.”</p> + +<p>Teddy, who was an especial favorite of Alex’s, +and never lost an opportunity of following him +about, appeared to know exactly where he was +going, for he maintained a steady pace for half an +hour or more, keeping to the south shore of the +creek for a time and then crossing on a fallen tree +to the opposite bank.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Clay, “we ought not to follow +close behind the cub. He makes as much noise as +a freight train going up a steep grade, and we’ll be +sure to be seen if the outlaws are anywhere about.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps he will go on alone,” Jule suggested.</p> + +<p>“In that case, we can skirt his track and remain +hidden. That ought not to be very difficult in this +broken country.”</p> + +<p>Teddy turned about with an inquiring glance as +the boys left his side, but soon proceeded on his +course. Fearful that Captain Joe would indulge +in another demonstration of some kind, the boys +kept him with them, Jule keeping a close hold on +his collar.</p> + +<p>“This doesn’t seem much like a river trip to +me,” Jule grinned as they passed over rocks, +sneaked through miniature canyons and threaded +thickets alive with briers and clinging vines. +“Seems more like an overland expedition to the +north star.”</p> + +<p>“There is one compensation,” Clay added humorously. +“Alex will get good and hungry—and +serve him right at that.”</p> + +<p>“Huh!” Jule declared, “Alex is always hungry +anyway.”</p> + +<p>Teddy now quickened his pace so that the boys +had great difficulty in following him. He ran with +his nose to the rough ground, his short ears tipped +forward, for all the world like a hound on a scent.</p> + +<p>“Look at the beast!” Jule laughed. “Acts like +he was a hound after foxes. That’s some bear, +Clay.”</p> + +<p>“So far as I know,” Clay answered, “he’s the +only cub that ever did a stunt like that. Still, he’s +only exhibiting the advantages of an early education, +for he has long been trained to follow us.”</p> + +<p>After a short time the boys, advancing up a +ledge and then into a little gully, came upon Teddy +lying flat on the ground, his nose pointing straight +ahead. When they came to him Captain Joe +pulled fiercely to get away, his nose pointing +straight to the north.</p> + +<p>“I guess,” Jule panted, holding to the dog with +all his strength, “that they have located Alex. If +you’ll take charge of this obstreperous animal for +a while, I’ll sneak ahead and have a look.”</p> + +<p>Clay finally succeeded in quieting the dog, and +Jule pushed on up the gully. At the very end, +where the depression terminated in a wall of rock, +he saw a faint column of smoke. A closer approach +revealed a small fire of dry sticks with +something cooking in a tin pail over the coals.</p> + +<p>Jule stopped and considered the situation seriously.</p> + +<p>“Now, I wonder,” he thought, “why Teddy +didn’t make a fool of himself by rushing right up +to Alex. I don’t believe he’s scared of the men, +and, to tell the truth, I don’t see any men to be +frightened at. Alex seems to be there alone. +Wonder why he doesn’t run.”</p> + +<p>The reason why Alex didn’t run was disclosed +in a moment. The boy’s hands were tightly bound +across his breast and a strong rope encircled his +ankles. For a moment there was no one in sight +save the boy, then a roughly dressed man came +into view carrying an armful of dry wood for the +fire. Jule heard both the dog and the cub protesting +at being kept away from the fellow, and saw +the man turn sharply about.</p> + +<p>Then there came another revelation. With +bound arms swinging out, and bound feet kicking +violently, Alex was ordering the two animals +away. Well trained as they were, they protested +while they obeyed.</p> + +<p>“Is that that bear of yours, again?” Jule heard +the man asking. “If I wasn’t afraid of attracting +attention, I’d put a bullet into him. Call him up +here and keep him quiet while I gather more dry +wood. The boys will be here in an hour or so and +will want breakfast.”</p> + +<p>“That settles it,” whispered Jule. “If the boys +are so far away that they won’t be back in an hour +or more, they won’t find any cook when they return. +If I have my way, the cook will be tied up.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Alex said in reply to the fellow’s +order, “I’ll call him up and keep him quiet after +you go away. He’s been used to polite society and +doesn’t like you!”</p> + +<p>The man snarled out some surly reply and disappeared. +Jule was at his chum’s side in a moment. +The ropes were cut, and the two boys were +speeding back to where Clay had been left.</p> + +<p>There was a little scene of congratulation, and +then Captain Joe, growling fiercely, leaped forward. +The man who had gone in search of wood +must have heard the noisy greetings of the boys, +for he came running back to the fire. The boys +saw him throw a hand back for a weapon, heard +an exclamation of anger, and knew that the dog +was springing at his throat.</p> + +<p>The struggle was a short one, for the man who +had been attacked had not succeeded in reaching his +revolver. When the boys reached the scene the +man was black in the face and the dog was shaking +him viciously by the neck.</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe seems to know who his friends +are!” Alex shouted.</p> + +<p>“If we don’t break his hold in a minute, the +man will be dead,” Jule exclaimed, dancing excitedly +about, “and we’re not out to commit murder.”</p> + +<p>When the clutch of the dog was finally released, +the man lay back, panting, on the ground. An examination +of his injury showed that it was not +serious, his throat having been compressed rather +than torn.</p> + +<p>In a moment the man sat up and glared about +with murder in his protruding eyes. Seeing the +dog still watching him, he gave him a vicious kick +and came near inviting a repetition of the attack.</p> + +<p>“I’ll kill that dog!” he shouted.</p> + +<p>“No, you won’t!” laughed Alex. “We’re going +to take that dog out of this blooming country. +We’re going to tie you up so you won’t over-exert +yourself while in your present weakened condition, +and streak it for the motor boat. We’ve had +enough of this blooming election precinct.”</p> + +<p>This program was carried out so far as moving +back toward the motor boat was concerned, but +when, after a long, hard journey, they came to +the place in the river where the <i>Rambler</i> had been +left, it was nowhere to be seen. Satisfied that Case +had not proceeded up the river—the falls would +have prevented a long run up—they all entered the +rowboat and passed on down toward the St. Lawrence.</p> + +<p>“Talk about getting lost!” grinned Alex. +“Case has gone and lost the boat!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink07'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VII—CASE HAS HIS DOUBTS</a></h2> + +<p>As may well be imagined, Case was waiting impatiently +on board the <i>Rambler</i> while the events +described in the last chapter were taking place in +the forest. It is one thing to face a desperate situation +in the company of helpful friends. It is +quite another to consider a grave peril alone, especially +when chums are in danger.</p> + +<p>Several hours passed, and Case heard nothing +from the wanderers in the forest. Then an unexpected +visitor arrived. The boy saw an Indian +canoe paddled swiftly up the river.</p> + +<p>He had not had a good chance to observe the +visitor who had cut the cable, thus bring about the +meeting with the steamer people, but it was his +opinion that the canoeist was none other than the +boy who had given his name as Max Michel. He +anxiously awaited the arrival of the craft.</p> + +<p>“If that is Max,” he thought, “he certainly has +a well-developed nerve to come back to the <i>Rambler</i> +after doing what he did.”</p> + +<p>In a short time the canoe, coming steadily upstream, +touched the hull of the motor boat, and +its occupant clambered alertly to the deck. Case +stood for a moment regarding him with disapproval, +no welcome at all in his face. The boy approached +with a confident smile.</p> + +<p>“What are you doing here?” demanded Case.</p> + +<p>“I came,” was the quick reply, “because I have +news which may interest you. I know you have +good reason to doubt my friendship, but I hope +you will listen to me. It will be in your interest to +do so.”</p> + +<p>“News of my friends?” asked Case quickly, +forgetting in the impulse of the moment that the +boy’s information was more than likely to be misleading. +“Have you seen any of the boys to-day?”</p> + +<p>“No,” was the slow reply, “but I have heard +from them. They crossed the peninsula early this +morning, were lured into a boat passing down a +parallel stream, and must now be somewhere on or +near the St. Lawrence.”</p> + +<p>“How do you know all this?” demanded Case +half-angrily.</p> + +<p>“Ever since the night I cut your cable,” Max +began, “I have been more than ashamed of myself. +I was ordered to do the work, and believed that +there was nothing else for me to do except to obey. +I was not far from St. Luce yesterday when you +boys went aboard the <i>Sybil</i>. The steamer touched +at St. Luce and I afterwards heard the captain +telling a friend of meeting you. Then I decided to +return to you, if you were still in this vicinity.”</p> + +<p>“And so you come here and tell me a fairy tale +about my chums?” Case exclaimed. “You don’t +expect me to believe a word you say, do you?”</p> + +<p>“And yet it is the truth,” Max insisted. “I was +up this morning early, paddling across the St. Lawrence, +for I knew from the Captain’s conversation +that you were over here. Not long ago I came +upon a boat leaving the river to the west. From +the man who was rowing, I learned that your +friends had been attacked and captured.”</p> + +<p>Case still doubted. He did not like the look in +the eyes of the boy. He remembered the treacherous +act which had sent the disabled <i>Rambler</i> drifting +down the St. Lawrence. He thought fast for +a moment and then asked abruptly:</p> + +<p>“Will you tell me what your interest is in this +matter?”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by that?”</p> + +<p>“Why did you cut our cable?”</p> + +<p>The boy hesitated a moment, glanced casually +over the west bank of the stream and then lowered +his eyes to the deck.</p> + +<p>“I was ordered to do so,” he said in a moment.</p> + +<p>“Ordered to disable our motors and cut our +cable?” demanded Case indignantly. “Don’t you +know that you might have been the cause of our +death? Is everything you have told me to-day +just as true as the fairy tales you told us that +night? You may as well be frank.”</p> + +<p>Again the boy hesitated. To Case it seemed that +he was listening for some sound or signal from the +shore.</p> + +<p>“Will you tell me,” continued Case, “who it +was that ordered you to cut our cable and disable +our motors?”</p> + +<p>The boy shook his head. His manner was now +anxious and uneasy, and Case turned his own eyes +toward the shore which was being watched so +closely.</p> + +<p>“I can’t give you the name of my employers,” +the boy finally said.</p> + +<p>“Then tell me this,” insisted Case. “Why did +the men who ordered you to do the work want it +done?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” was the brief reply.</p> + +<p>“I presume,” Case went on, “that you would +have destroyed the <i>Rambler</i> with a stick of dynamite +if you had been told to do so.”</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t have committed murder,” was the +quick reply.</p> + +<p>“Now let us get back to your story of to-day,” +Case said. “Who was it that told you of the capture +of my chums?”</p> + +<p>“I can’t tell you that.”</p> + +<p>“Was it one of your employers?”</p> + +<p>“It was not.”</p> + +<p>“Was it a man with whom you are acquainted?” +asked Case.</p> + +<p>“I never saw him until to-day,” he replied.</p> + +<p>“How did he come to speak to you of the boys +at all?”</p> + +<p>“He mentioned that he had seen three boys evidently +under a restraint in a boat with three men +farther up the stream.”</p> + +<p>“So the boat held three men and three boys? +Anyone else?”</p> + +<p>“He did not mention any one else.”</p> + +<p>“And the six people were the sole occupants of +the boat, were they?”</p> + +<p>“That is what the man told me.”</p> + +<p>“Before you concocted this story,” Case declared +scornfully, “you ought to have jogged your +memory a trifle. You saw Captain Joe and Teddy +on board the <i>Rambler</i> the night you cut our cable. +Why didn’t you add to your story and say that +the dog and the bear were with the three boys?”</p> + +<p>“The man I saw said nothing to me about the +dog and the bear,” Max insisted stubbornly. “I +had only a moment’s talk with him.”</p> + +<p>“And then you came directly to the <i>Rambler</i> to +tell me of the incident?”</p> + +<p>“I came directly to the spot where I believed the +<i>Rambler</i> would be,” was the answer. “Of course, +I didn’t know exactly where you were, but Captain +Morgan said that when you left him it was your +intention to ascend this stream. I was lucky in +finding you.”</p> + +<p>“And now,” Case asked, with a scornful smile +on his lips, “what do you expect me to do under +the circumstances? What would you advise?”</p> + +<p>“I thought,” replied Max, “that you would go +down the river, and make your way to the mouth +of the other stream.”</p> + +<p>“Why do your employers want me to leave my +present location?” asked Case. “Do they want +the boys to come out of the forest and find the +<i>Rambler</i> gone? Is that what you were sent here +for?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, well,” Max exclaimed, “if you don’t believe +what I say, and won’t take advantage of the +honest information I have given you, I may as well +be on my way.”</p> + +<p>He moved toward the gunwale of the boat, as he +spoke and began untying the line which held his +canoe to the <i>Rambler</i>. Case stepped forward and +laid a detaining hand on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>“Just a moment,” the boy said. “You are not +going to leave the <i>Rambler</i> until my chums return, +and perhaps not then.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean that you intend to keep me prisoner?” +flashed Max.</p> + +<p>“That is just exactly what I mean to do,” Case +responded. “I don’t know what your object in +coming here really is, for I believe that as a prevaricator, +you have Ananias backed off the board. +I dislike to use the shorter and uglier word, Max, +but you certainly are the greatest liar I ever came +across. You’ll stay here until we know more about +you.”</p> + +<p>“You’d better do a little thinking before you +keep me here,” Max threatened. “You are making +a lot of trouble for yourself.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll have to risk that,” Case replied. “Have +you got any weapons about your person? If you +have, give them up.”</p> + +<p>Max shook his head angrily.</p> + +<p>“If I had had a weapon,” he declared, “you +would have known all about it the minute you laid +a hand on my shoulder.”</p> + +<p>“Will you promise to remain on the boat without +attempting to escape if I leave you your liberty?” +Case asked.</p> + +<p>“I will promise nothing!” was the ugly reply.</p> + +<p>“All right,” Case said.</p> + +<p>There was a rush and a little struggle, but in the +end, Max was overcome and stowed away bound +hand and foot in the cabin.</p> + +<p>Leaving his prisoner there, foaming with rage +and searching a limited vocabulary for words to +express his feelings, Case went out to the prow of +the <i>Rambler</i> and sat down to think over the situation.</p> + +<p>“That boy,” he mused, “was sent here to induce +me to take the <i>Rambler</i> out of this place. Why?”</p> + +<p>The boy considered the problem for a long time. +He was hoping that some of his chums would make +their appearance. He disliked very much to take +the <i>Rambler</i> away from the place where they had +left it, and still there might be a grain of truth in +what Max had said.</p> + +<p>The day was bright and still. The deep green +foliage of the forest shone and shimmered in the +sun. There were birds in the air, and here and +there timid creatures of the jungle came out to the +stream to drink and peer with questioning eyes at +the stranger who had invaded their leafy retreat. +There were no signs of human life anywhere except +on board the <i>Rambler</i>. The continued absence +of the boys seemed unaccountable.</p> + +<p>“Well,” the boy decided, presently, “I’ll take a +chance on a visit to the St. Lawrence. It won’t +take long to run down, swing up to the other end +of the peninsula and investigate the west stream. +If the boys come back while I am gone, they’ll +probably hear the motors clamoring and know that +I am not far away. Still, I don’t think they’ll +come.”</p> + +<p>Case was slowly reaching the uncomfortable +conclusion that the boys had, indeed, been +overcome by the outlaws. In that case, his first act +ought to be to secure help. If he returned to the +St. Lawrence, he might meet a friendly captain +who would be willing to assist him in the rescue.</p> + +<p>So, with this idea in his mind, the boy drew up +the anchor, started the motors to popping and +headed the <i>Rambler</i> down stream. The boat proceeded +at full speed, and soon the arm of the bay +which closed in behind the peninsula came in view.</p> + +<p>Anchored there, in a sheltered cove on the north +shore of the river, was a trim little launch. Case +could see four men moving about in the cockpit at +the rear of the little trunk cabin. He immediately +directed the <i>Rambler</i> toward the craft and hailed +across the water. He was answered promptly.</p> + +<p>“Is that the <i>Rambler</i>?” was asked.</p> + +<p>“The <i>Rambler</i> it is,” answered Case. “Are +you looking for her?”</p> + +<p>“Not especially,” was the reply. “We were +told that you were here by Captain Morgan, whom +we saw up the river.”</p> + +<p>“Come aboard,” invited Case, and in a few moments +two bright-looking young men ascended +from a small boat to the deck of the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“I am Joseph Fontenelle,” one of the young +men said, “and this is my friend, Sam Howard. +We were just going up the river when we saw you +coming down. Are you alone on board?”</p> + +<p>“My friends are somewhere back in the forest,” +Case explained, certain that it was safe to trust the +visitors. “I seem to have lost them.”</p> + +<p>“Then we have probably arrived just in time,” +Fontenelle went on. “As you probably know from +my name, we are here on the old search for the +charter. Captain Morgan, I am told, related the +story to you. For myself, I have little faith in the +quest, but father insists that I make a try to solve +the mystery every summer. This is my third visit +to what we call Cartier island. I expect to make +them annually as long as father lives.”</p> + +<p>“You have no faith in the story of the lost charter +and the missing family jewels?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“Oh, they were lost, without doubt, and possibly +in this country, but there is no clew whatever +to their whereabouts.”</p> + +<p>Case was wondering if the Fontenelles had a +copy of the crude map which had been so mysteriously +brought to the <i>Rambler</i>. He was wondering, +too, if it would be safe for him to tell this youthful +representative of the French family all that he +knew of the two communications and the attacks +which had been made on the <i>Rambler</i>. The question +was virtually settled by Fontenelle himself.</p> + +<p>“I am told,” the young man said, “that you +boys were placed in peril by being mistaken for +us.”</p> + +<p>“We had a scrap with river pirates, if that is +what you mean,” Case replied, “and Captain Morgan +helped us to get away from them.”</p> + +<p>“I’m afraid,” Fontenelle went on, “that the +men you term ‘river pirates’ are pirates only for +the purpose of this occasion. We have always +been opposed in our quest for what father calls +the lost channel.”</p> + +<p>“Opposed everywhere in your searches?” Case +asked, “or opposed only when you come to this +section?”</p> + +<p>“Opposed only in this vicinity,” answered Fontenelle, +gazing keenly at the boy. “I see what you +mean,” he added. “At least, your inference is +that those who are opposing us really know more +about the location of the charter and the jewels +than we know ourselves, and that they believe them +to be here.”</p> + +<p>“That is the way it seems to me,” Case answered, +“still if they think they know that the property +sought for is in this vicinity, their knowledge +fails when they try to put their hand upon it. They +can only hope for success in case of your failure, +and so they oppose your every effort.”</p> + +<p>“That is the way in which we look at it,” Fontenelle +replied. “In fact, father is positive that +the search for the charter goes steadily on in this +vicinity throughout most of the year.</p> + +<p>“Last year, we had quite a merry picnic with a +scout sent up to obstruct our search, and one of +our men was seriously wounded. Our enemies are +certainly becoming desperate, and if, as you say, +your chums appear to be lost in the forest, we ought +to be getting up there to look after them. They +may be sorely in need of help.”</p> + +<p>“I thank you for your offer of assistance,” Case +replied, “and it is my opinion that we can’t get +back there too quickly. Come over here and look +through the cabin window,” he continued, “pointing +through the glass panel to where he had left +Max lying bound on the bunk.”</p> + +<p>Then the look of amusement vanished from the +boy’s face, and he opened the door and passed +quickly into the cabin. Max was nowhere to be +seen. He had disappeared as completely as if the +hull of the <i>Rambler</i> had opened and dropped him +into the stream. The ropes with which he had +been tied lay on the floor, but the boy was gone.</p> + +<p>The open window at the rear of the motor boat, +told the story. In answer to Fontenelle’s looks of +inquiry, Case briefly told the story of Max’s visit +and capture. The young man pondered a moment +and then said:</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe the boys have been captured +at all. The chances are that they are still in the +forest, probably looking for the boy who disappeared +last night.</p> + +<p>“This boy Max, if your description tallies with +my recollection, has appeared in the game before +to-day. He is a wharf rat at Quebec, and is being +used by these outlaws to further their treacherous +ends. I wish we had found him here.”</p> + +<p>As the boys passed out on deck, the barking of +a dog came from up the river. There was no mistaking +the voice. It was Captain Joe, and he was +deploring the absence of his floating home. Case +smiled happily at the sound, and then his face +grew serious, for gunshots followed the echo of +the dog’s voice.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink08'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VIII—THE DISCOVERY OF MAX</a></h2> + +<p>Case hastened to put the <i>Rambler</i> under motion, +and, with Fontenelle and Howard still on board, +headed her into the current. At a signal from Fontenelle, +the launch <i>Cartier</i> drew up her anchor and +followed.</p> + +<p>To Captain Joe’s vicious barking was now added +the surly voice of the bear cub, so the boys knew +that the animals were not far away. In fact, as +they paused to investigate the ugly nose of the +bulldog was pushed through the curtain of shrubbery +at the edge of the stream, and Teddy leaped +snarling into the water.</p> + +<p>Fontenelle greeted the approach of the animals +to the boat with shouts of laughter. Even in their +haste to reach the boat, the animals could not avoid +snapping and striking at each other, playfully. No +more shots were heard, but presently a great tramping +in the undergrowth came at the point where +Joe and Teddy had made their appearance, indicating +human presence there. All on board the +<i>Rambler</i> anxiously awaited the appearance of those +who were struggling in the jungle.</p> + +<p>“Would the menagerie run away and leave the +boys in captivity?” asked Fontenelle, as the bulldog +and the bear cub were assisted, streaming, to +the deck. “They seem to have had a long run.”</p> + +<p>“Indeed, they would not,” replied Case. “If +Clay and the others were tied up in the woods, +Captain Joe and Teddy would be there with them. +No, it is my opinion that it is Alex making all +that racket in the brush. He’s a noisy little chap, +and particularly troublesome when hungry.”</p> + +<p>The next moment proved Case’s reasoning to be +correct, for the undergrowth parted again and the +three boys appeared on the bank.</p> + +<p>“Ship ahoy!” Alex shouted, wrinkling his +freckled nose. “Do you want to take on passengers?”</p> + +<p>“I hope,” Case called back, “that you fellows +haven’t gone and lost the rowboat. And where is +the two-foot fish you were going to bring for +breakfast? I don’t see it anywhere.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Jule called out, as the <i>Rambler</i> edged +toward the bank, “if we have lost a boat, you seem +to have found one.”</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by that?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>Jule pointed, and Case went to the gunwale of +the <i>Rambler</i> and looked down upon the fragile +canoe in which Max had paddled up the river.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know that we were towing it,” he said, +“but its presence here accounts for Max getting +away without being seen or heard. He never +stopped to get his boat, and may be swimming under +water yet, for all I know. I hope he’s clear down +at the bottom.”</p> + +<p>“No danger of one of those wharf rats getting +drowned,” Fontenelle laughed. “I have seen them +remain under water for what seemed to me to be +five minutes, and Max is some riverside boy.”</p> + +<p>“Shoot the canoe over,” cried Clay, “and we’ll +come aboard.”</p> + +<p>“Where’s your boat?” demanded Case.</p> + +<p>“Well, you see,” explained Clay, “when we +missed the <i>Rambler</i>, we started for the St. Lawrence +by the water route, but when ruffians on the +bank began shooting, we tied up the boat and took +to the thicket.”</p> + +<p>Case released the line and sent the light canoe +spinning over the surface of the river. Clay caught +the rope deftly and one by one the boys paddled +over to the motor boat. Alex threw himself down +on the deck and gazed imploringly up at Case.</p> + +<p>“I expected,” he said whimsically, “that you’d +welcome me on the bank of the river with a pie!”</p> + +<p>“The next time you get us into trouble,” Case +laughed, “I’ll meet you on the bank of the river +with a club.”</p> + +<p>The three boys were presented to Fontenelle and +Howard and then preparations for breakfast were +begun.</p> + +<p>“Alex got taken prisoner up in the woods,” Jule +grinned. “We cut him loose and tied up the cook. +We were thinking of getting breakfast there, but +we preferred fish and pancakes to lead and gunpowder, +so we made a run for the boat.”</p> + +<p>“Is the cook tied up yet?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“I reckon they cut him loose in about ten minutes,” +Alex replied, “for they seemed to be about +three steps behind us all the way to the river, but +they didn’t catch us.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think we would better go back after +the rowboat?” Case asked, as the boys sat down +to a breakfast of bacon, eggs, pancakes, beans and +hot coffee. “We ought not to loose it.”</p> + +<p>“Look here,” Jule said. “We’ve been sowing +rowboats over the world for a year or two. We +lost two on the Amazon, one on the Columbia, two +on the Colorado and had three smashed on the Mississippi. +Now, I think we’d better go back and +get this boat.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Alex grinned. “You go on back +and get it.”</p> + +<p>“Well, don’t you ever think I can’t,” Jule replied. +“I can sneak up there and swipe that boat from +under their noses. But you needn’t think I’m going +to set out as long as there is anything here to eat.”</p> + +<p>While the boys took breakfast, the situation as +explained to Case by Fontenelle was described to +them, and after a time Case beckoned Clay away +to a corner of the cabin and asked him a question +over which he had been puzzling ever since the +arrival of Fontenelle.</p> + +<p>“Now you understand the situation,” Case said, +“and I want you to answer this question right off +the handle. I’ve decided it half a dozen ways, but +I have been fortunate enough so far to keep my +mouth shut.”</p> + +<p>“What is the question?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Wait,” Case said. “I’ll make a little explanation +first. These Fontenelle people have only the +legend of the lost channel and the loss of the charter +and the family jewels in this section. They +haven’t a single clew which tells them to look in +any special spot first.</p> + +<p>“So far as I can make out, young Fontenelle +and his friends come down here every summer, in +answer to the demands of the elder Fontenelle, for +a sort of a vacation. So far as I can make out, +they have never honestly searched for the lost channel. +In fact, the young man has doubts of its +existence. Now, what I want to know is this.”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you say so before?” asked Clay +with a smile. “I know what your question is. You +want to know if we ought to show Fontenelle the +map which was brought to the <i>Rambler</i> so mysteriously.”</p> + +<p>“Aw, of course, you could guess it after I had +stated the case fully,” Case declared. “But you +haven’t told me what you think about it. Ought +we to give Fontenelle the map?”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay answered, cautiously, “the map +doesn’t belong to us. It wasn’t intended for us. It +was handed to us by a man who evidently believed +that he was turning it over to Fontenelle.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Case said, “it does look as if the map +belongs to Fontenelle, but look here! He doesn’t +believe in this search. It is my idea that he doesn’t +even care whether he secures the lost property or +not. He won’t consider the matter seriously if we +give it to him. He’ll just laugh and poke it away +among a lot of old papers and that will be the +end of it.”</p> + +<p>“You are undoubtedly right,” Clay answered.</p> + +<p>“Now,” Case went on, “we’ve had enough +trouble with these outlaws to arouse my fighting +blood. Besides, I’d like to have a look at that lost +channel. Lost channels appeal to me, you know! +I’d give a lot to find it. Why not keep the map +and go on with the search?”</p> + +<p>“But the other fellows would be searching, too, +and the whole event would deteriorate into a big +summer outing,” Clay insisted.</p> + +<p>“All right, then,” Case suggested. “Suppose +we go on up the river to Quebec, and Montreal, and +the Thousand Islands, and then come back after +these fellows have gone home, and find that channel.”</p> + +<p>“That listens pretty good to me,” Clay answered. +“I am willing to go on at once if it is a sure thing +that we come back, but I don’t want to sneak away +from these fellows after they have started the +fight.”</p> + +<p>“That shows courage, all right enough,” Case +added, “but I’d rather hunt for this lost channel +with these toughs on the wharf at Quebec, and,” +he added, more seriously, “that’s where I think +they’ll be by the time we get back here. They won’t +stay here long after Fontenelle goes away.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” Clay replied, “if Jule and Alex +are willing, we’ll be on our way this afternoon.”</p> + +<p>This understanding having been reached, the two +boys went back to their guests, while Jule went +ashore in the canoe.</p> + +<p>“Now, watch the little rat,” Alex laughed. +“He’ll tie that boat up and blunder through the briers, +when he might paddle up the stream close to the +bank without taking any chances.”</p> + +<p>But Jule did nothing of the kind. He kept on +up the stream in the canoe. Presently he rounded +a bend and disappeared from sight.</p> + +<p>In a short time Fontenelle and his friend left +the <i>Rambler</i> with the understanding that the two +crews were to meet in the evening if the boys did +not sail away in the afternoon. As a matter of +fact, as the reader already knows, the boys had +decided to leave before the parting took place, but +they did not care to be urged to remain and join in +the summer vacation picnic which was sure to follow.</p> + +<p>They had started out for a trip covering the whole +length of the St. Lawrence river from the Gulf to +Lake Ontario, and were determined to cover the +course before shipping their boat back to Chicago.</p> + +<p>In less than an hour Jule was back with the rowboat, +having seen nothing of the outlaws.</p> + +<p>“They probably thought the whole Canadian +navy was coming after them,” Alex said, pointing +from the <i>Rambler</i> to the <i>Cartier</i> and back again. +“Looks like we were coming out in force.”</p> + +<p>In the middle of the afternoon the boys notified +Fontenelle of their intention to proceed on their +journey, and the <i>Rambler</i> passed on up the St. +Lawrence.</p> + +<p>It was a golden day in summer, the waters +sparkled and danced in the sunlight, and the shipping +passing to and fro on the river made a pleasant +picture of marine life. The boys enjoyed the +situation thoroughly.</p> + +<p>“I have always had a longing to visit Quebec,” +Clay said as the boat headed for a little cove to +avoid the wash of a giant steamer, “and I propose +that we spend two or three days there looking over +things.”</p> + +<p>“That suits me,” Alex cut in. “When we get +there, I’ll go down on the docks and find that boy +Max. And when I find him, there’ll be one wharf +rat less on the docks.”</p> + +<p>“You better keep away from the docks,” warned +Case. “You’d get lost on South Clark street between +any two blocks you could name.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I always find myself again,” Alex declared.</p> + +<p>“Yes, you do,” Case jeered. “The last time +you got lost, it took two boys and a bear and a +bulldog to find you. And I don’t think you are +worth the trouble at that!”</p> + +<p>The boys immediately had a friendly struggle +on the deck, in which Teddy and Captain Joe +promptly mixed.</p> + +<p>That night the boys arranged for another campfire +on the north bank of the St. Lawrence. They +put up their hammocks, anchored the boat close +inshore, and prepared for a long sleep.</p> + +<p>“If there isn’t any lost channels or charters +from French kings or strayed family jewels hiding +about here,” Jule commented, “we’ll certainly enjoy +ourselves in this camp.”</p> + +<p>Nothing came to disturb them during the night. +They watched the procession of craft of all descriptions +on the river until nine o’clock, then went to +sleep with a danger signal swinging from the prow +of the <i>Rambler</i>. They were early astir in the +morning and on their way upstream.</p> + +<p>There was no need of haste, yet the boys seemed +to enjoy themselves most when the boat was in +motion, so they plowed slowly up the river until +night, enjoying the wild scenery and stopping now +and then at a little settlement. That was the first +of many days of uninterrupted pleasure on the +most extensive water system of the North American +continent.</p> + +<p>On the second night, they made another camp +with only Captain Joe and Teddy standing guard. +Alex was out after fish early in the morning, and +at six o’clock he served one of his long-wished for +fish a la Indian breakfasts.</p> + +<p>Just before nightfall, they came within sight +of Quebec and moored at a pier a short distance +down the river.</p> + +<p>“Now,” laughed Case, “if any treasure seekers +or outlaws or river pirates appear to us during the +night, we’ll call the police. We’ve had trouble +enough for one trip.”</p> + +<p>“I’m going to sleep ten hours every night until +we get to the Thousand Islands,” declared Jule. +“I’m hungry and sleepy most of the time.”</p> + +<p>“And we’ll come back down the rapids, won’t +we?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“You bet we will,” replied Clay. “We’ll come +down like a shot.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll need to,” Jule suggested, “because we’ll +lose time in the canal going up.”</p> + +<p>There was no open campfire or swinging hammocks +for the boys that night. The city of Quebec +twinkled its myriad lights from plateau and cliff, +and the boys were not sure of whom they might +meet during the dark hours. They cooked their +supper early in order to make an evening trip in +the lower part of the city.</p> + +<p>“I wonder,” Case said, as, leaving Jule and Clay +on board, he started away with Alex, “what the +man who delivered the map to us is thinking about +concerning his mistake now. He might have been +paid to deliver that document to Fontenelle, and +the error may make him trouble.”</p> + +<p>“And I was just thinking,” Alex put in, “what +the fellows who delivered the warning to us are +thinking concerning themselves. They wasted a +lot of ammunition and lost a good many hours’ +sleep on our account.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we’ll find out all about it when we go +back to find the lost channel,” Case suggested. “Do +you know,” he added, “I’m looking forward to +that lost channel stunt with a good deal of enthusiasm.”</p> + +<p>“Do you really think there’s a lost channel +there?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“There is something in it,” Case asserted. “Men +don’t draw maps entirely on imagination.”</p> + +<p>“Then why don’t the men who drew the map +go and tell Fontenelle all about it?”</p> + +<p>“He tried to tell him all about it when he delivered +the map to us, but as you know, the map +reached the wrong hands.”</p> + +<p>The boys walked the streets, comparing them +unfavorably with those of Chicago, until nearly +ten o’clock and then turned to go to the boat. When +they came to the river front again, Alex stopped +suddenly and caught Case by the arm.</p> + +<p>“Look there,” he whispered, “What do you +know about that?”</p> + +<p>“About what?” asked Case, puzzled.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you see him down there at the head of +the pier?” asked Alex, nodding his head in that +direction.</p> + +<p>“I guess you’re the boy that’s got loose packing +in his head to-night,” laughed Case. “What do +you see?”</p> + +<p>“What do I see?” repeated Alex. “That’s +Max, the wharf rat, the cable cutter, the motor +destroyer. Shall we go and get him?”</p> + +<p>“Go and get him?” repeated Case. “He’d have +a flock of wharf rats around us in about two minutes.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Alex insisted, “we’d better stay here +and see where he goes, anyway. If we can locate +the fellow now, we can go after him any time.”</p> + +<p>“Then I guess we can go after him any time,” +Case chuckled, “because he’s heading for that eating +house with the tin fish sign in front of it.”</p> + +<p>“Then here we go for the tin fish,” Alex declared, +and in five minutes, they were seated at a +little table in an alcove separated only by a heavy +cloth curtain from the main room of a third-rate +French restaurant.</p> + +<p>When a waiter appeared they gave their orders +and sat watching the main room through the folds +of the curtain.</p> + +<p>“There!” Alex finally said in a whisper. “He’s +coming in.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” grunted Case, “and he’s got a dozen +wharf rats with him. I guess they’ve got us in as +neat a trap as one boy ever set for another!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink09'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER IX—A BUSY NIGHT IN QUEBEC</a></h2> + +<p>“I don’t understand,” Alex said, peering +through the curtain, “why he should want to do +anything to us. Perhaps he won’t notice us at all.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you ever think he won’t,” grinned Case. +“Didn’t I truss him up like a hen in the cabin and +threaten to arrest him, and didn’t he declare that +he would shoot me if he ever got a chance? Don’t +you believe he’ll let us get out of here without +trouble!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, well,” Alex replied, “if he starts anything +we’ll get out all right in spite of him, and in spite +of his wharf rats.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve got an idea,” Case said, watching the collection +of roughly-dressed boys sitting about a table +in the other room, “that that kid has been waiting +in Quebec for us.”</p> + +<p>“What shall we do, then,” Alex asked still in +a whisper. “Shall we make a break and get out +right now?”</p> + +<p>“We may as well wait and see what takes place,” +Case answered. “This is a pretty tough joint, I +guess, and some one may start something. In that +case, we can get out while they are beating each +other up.”</p> + +<p>The lunches ordered were now brought by the +waiter, and the boys fell to, although, as may well +be imagined, without much appetite. Max sat with +his face turned toward the curtain, evidently trying +to discover whether his enemies were using +the alcove. He had seen the boys enter the restaurant, +but was not quite certain as to which room +they had seated themselves in. His face was watchful +and vicious.</p> + +<p>Half an hour passed and the situation did not +change, then Alex plucked Case by the sleeve, motioning +toward the outer door.</p> + +<p>“We may as well move,” he said. “It is getting +late, and the streets are now growing more +unsafe every minute because of such night prowlers +as you see out there. It we’ve got to fight, we may +as well begin.”</p> + +<p>But it was not necessary for them to start the +engagement, as Max came to the alcove directly +and drew the curtain roughly aside. The boys +remained in their seats, grinning up at him, but +their hands under the cover of the table grasped +their automatics.</p> + +<p>“Hello!” Alex said presently. “We never expected +to meet you here.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I had an idea you’d be along,” Max said +with an ugly frown.</p> + +<p>“Come on in and set down,” Case urged with +a chuckle. “I’d like to have you tell me why you +disappeared so suddenly.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a nice question to ask!” Max snarled. +“You tie me up like a pig in the cabin and then +wonder why I get out of your clutches!”</p> + +<p>“You had a little swim for it, didn’t you?” +asked Case.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” was the reply, “and I’ll make you sweat +for every drop of water I swallowed during that +long dive. I’ll show you a thing or two!”</p> + +<p>“What was there in that job for you, anyway?” +asked Alex. “We’ve got a new manila cable +charged up to you.”</p> + +<p>“Mark the bill down on ice,” snorted Max, “and +lay the ice on the stove. You did me dirt there +and I’m going to get even!”</p> + +<p>“Go as far as you like,” said Case. “We are +here to answer all questions.”</p> + +<p>Max, who had been standing in the entrance +to the alcove, with the curtain half over his shoulder, +now turned and beckoned to the rough-looking +boys gathered about the table he had just left.</p> + +<p>“Friends of yours?” asked Alex as the others +gathered about the alcove. “They look as if they +might be.”</p> + +<p>The boys outside now began jostling each other +roughly, as if preparing to start a fake fight among +themselves. That, as Alex and Case well knew, is +an old, old trick in the underworld. Whenever an +enemy is to be attacked, it is common practice for +the assailants to start a fight among themselves, +being certain that their enemies are dealt most +of the blows. Many an apparently innocent bystander +has been murdered in that way.</p> + +<p>The proprietor of the place came rushing out of +an inner room as the toughs hustled each other back +and forth and timidly remonstrated with them. It +was evident that he stood in fear of the gang. The +boys saw that no help might be expected from him.</p> + +<p>At last one of the toughs received a blow which, +apparently, forced him inside the alcove, then the +whole crowd rushed in, swarming over Alex and +Case like the wharf rats they were. The boys +drew their revolvers, but did not fire. Instead +they sprang to the top of the table and used the +handles of their weapons to good purpose.</p> + +<p>In the meantime the proprietor was running back +and forth from the alcove to the door and from +the door to the alcove, urging the boys to act “like +little gentlemen,” and at the same time shouting for +the police. But no officers made their appearance.</p> + +<p>The weight of humanity on the table upon which +the boys were standing now brought it down with +a crash to the floor. The situation was becoming +serious, and the boys were preparing to use their +guns when an unexpected event occurred.</p> + +<p>The night being warm, the street door was wide +open, but a little crowd had gathered about it. Disturbances +were frequent in that place, however, +and none of the onlookers seemed inclined to interfere.</p> + +<p>As they stood looking, a heavy body catapulted +against their shoulders, and the next moment the +heavy body of a white bulldog leaped over their +heads into the room.</p> + +<p>The toughs in the alcove, who had just settled +down to a steady pommeling of the boys with their +bare fists, turned for an instant as sharp claws clattered +over the floor, and some of them stepped +aside. Then Captain Joe leaped atop of the struggling +mass and began a vigorous exercise of his +very capable teeth.</p> + +<p>In a second the whole place was in confusion. +Patrons rushed out from other rooms, the proprietor +appeared from behind the desk bearing a revolver. +There was an inrush from the street, and +then two pistol shots sounded. As the acrid smell +of powder smoke seeped into the air, there was a +rattle of glass and the two ceiling lights were extinguished.</p> + +<p>Save for the uncertain light from incandescents +in the other alcoves, the place was now in darkness, +except for the illumination which came in from +the street.</p> + +<p>Cries, shouts and epithets of the vilest character +rang through the place. Long before the light of +the gas jets could be turned on, the boys and the +dog were out on the pavement, making good progress +toward a policeman in uniform, who appeared +under an arc light not far away. The officer held +up his heavy night stick as the boys approached +him.</p> + +<p>The sound of running feet came out and in a +moment the officer and the two boys were surrounded +by the wharf rats who had been in the +restaurant. The officer promptly drew a revolver.</p> + +<p>“What’s doing here!” he demanded. “Who +did that shooting back there?”</p> + +<p>“These two boys did it!” Max promptly explained, +pointing at Alex and Case. “They shot +out the lights and robbed the till!”</p> + +<p>The officer put up his revolver and his night +stick, seized Alex and Case by the shoulders, and +started off up the street, the toughs following at +his heels. There was a patrol box on the next +corner and the boys attempted no defence of their +conduct until this was reached. As the policeman +turned the key he glanced quickly from one face +to the other.</p> + +<p>“What have you boys got to say for yourselves?” +he asked.</p> + +<p>“We’ll tell that to the judge,” replied Alex.</p> + +<p>“Come, now, don’t get gay!” the officer said. +“You don’t look like boys who would be apt to +get into a scrape like that.”</p> + +<p>The boys were so pleased at having escaped from +the restaurant with whole heads that they did not +much mind the arrest. In fact, just at that moment +the officer was about the most welcome person +who could have made his appearance, with the +exception of Captain Joe, of course.</p> + +<p>The dog now stood close by the patrol box showing +his teeth and asking Alex for permission to +take the officer by the leg.</p> + +<p>“We haven’t robbed any tills lately!” Alex +said, wrinkling his freckled nose at the officer.</p> + +<p>“Lookout!” one of the boys shouted from the +crowd. “That bulldog will get you, officer. He +chewed up two boys back in the restaurant.</p> + +<p>“Good old Captain Joe,” exclaimed Alex, patting +the dog on the head.</p> + +<p>The dog did not for a moment lose sight of a +spot on the officer’s thigh, which seemed to invite +attack.</p> + +<p>“Is that your dog?” asked the policeman.</p> + +<p>“Sure, that’s our dog,” answered Alex.</p> + +<p>“And what did you say his name was?”</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe.”</p> + +<p>The officer released his hold on the boys and +leaned against the patrol box. The police wagon +was now in sight, racing down the street with a +great jangling of bells, and the crowd around the +officer began to thin. They had evidently seen that +wagon before.</p> + +<p>“Say, Mr. Officer,” Alex said, “why don’t you +grab a couple of those boys? They are going to +be witnesses against us, you know.”</p> + +<p>The officer made no reply, but reached down and +patted Captain Joe on the head, an action which the +dog strongly resented.</p> + +<p>“Did you say the dog ate a couple of wharf rats +back there?” asked the officer, turning to the diminishing +crowd.</p> + +<p>“You bet he did!” half a dozen voices cried in +chorus. “He’s a holy terror.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve got a hole in my leg you could push a chair +through,” one of them shouted. “Arrest him!”</p> + +<p>The police wagon now backed up to the curb and +the boys stepped inside followed by Captain Joe.</p> + +<p>“Here!” questioned the man in charge of the +wagon, “are you going in with us, off your beat, +and are you going to arrest the dog? He looks +like a hard citizen!”</p> + +<p>“Not a bit of it!” answered the officer. “He +chewed up two wharf rats back there, according to +all accounts, and I’m going in to tell the sergeant, +and to ask the captain to give him a medal. If +he had only killed them, I’d try to get him on the +pension list.”</p> + +<p>“Say,” Case remarked, “you seem to be an all-right +policeman. I guess you know that bunch +back there.”</p> + +<p>“Every officer in the city knows that bunch,” +replied the policeman. “When they’re not in the +penitentiary, they’re making trouble for the force. +They ought to get a hundred years apiece.”</p> + +<p>“What will we get for shooting out the lights?” +asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“So you did shoot out the lights!”</p> + +<p>“We didn’t do anything else,” declared Alex.</p> + +<p>“Say, Mr. Cop, you’ve seen terriers go after a +rat in a pit, haven’t you?” asked Case. “Well, +that’s just the way that gang went after us. We’d +be dead now if Captain Joe hadn’t run away from +the <i>Rambler</i> and followed us.”</p> + +<p>“There!” cried the officer clapping Alex on the +back, “I’ve been trying to think of that name ever +since I saw the dog. We’ve got pictures of this +dog and the <i>Rambler</i> and a grizzly bear called +Teddy pasted up in the squad room. We cut them +out of newspapers six months ago when you boys +were somewhere out on the Columbia river.”</p> + +<p>“On the Colorado river,” corrected Case. “We +found Teddy Bear in a a timber wreck on the Columbia, +and he never had his picture taken until +we got to San Francisco.”</p> + +<p>“Is the <i>Rambler</i> down on the river now?” asked +the officer, and Case nodded. “Because, if it is,” +the policeman went on, “some one had better be +getting down there! The wharf rats will eat it up +before morning, plank by plank!”</p> + +<p>“How are we going to get down there if you +lock us up?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“You may not be locked up,” was the reply.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink10'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER X—THE MENAGERIE IN ACTION</a></h2> + +<p>After the departure of Alex and Case from the +<i>Rambler</i>, Clay and Jule drew out the two mysterious +messages they had received and studied them +over carefully.</p> + +<p>“What do you think about this lost channel proposition?” +asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“If a channel ever went through the neck of +land as shown by the map, that section must have +been visited by an earthquake,” Clay laughed. +“There isn’t a sign of a channel there. Instead, +there’s a great high ledge of rock crossing the peninsula, +just where the line shows the channel ought +to be. It is my private opinion that no water ever +crossed that peninsula. There must be some mistake +in location.”</p> + +<p>“The men who made the map might have drawn +the line indicating the channel in the wrong place,” +Jule suggested.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay concluded, “we’ll have a look at +it when we go back, but what I can’t understand +is why the map should have been given to the wrong +party. If a man had such a map in any way accurate, +he would have presented it to Fontenelle in +person and demanded a stiff price for it.”</p> + +<p>“It looks that way to me!” Jule agreed.</p> + +<p>There was a volume in the cabin of the <i>Rambler</i> +descriptive of the St. Lawrence river from the gulf +to Lake Ontario. This the boys brought out and +studied diligently until a late hour.</p> + +<p>At last Clay arose, yawned, and looked at his +watch.</p> + +<p>“I wonder why Alex and Case don’t return!” +he asked. “It can’t be possible that that little +scamp has gone and lost himself again, can it?”</p> + +<p>“Just like him!” snickered Jule. “If I had a +dollar for every time he’s been lost I’d have all +the money I will ever need.”</p> + +<p>“That’s pretty near the truth!” Clay agreed. +“However, we’ve got Captain Joe and Teddy left +with us to help look him up.”</p> + +<p>He leaned back in his chair and whistled to the +dog, but no Captain Joe made his appearance. +Teddy came shambling into the cabin and held out +a paw, suggesting sugar. Clay glanced up at Jule +with puzzled eyes.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t the dog out on deck?” he asked.</p> + +<p>The boy hastened out and returned in a moment +with the information that the bulldog was nowhere +in sight.</p> + +<p>“Have you seen him since Alex and Case left?” +Clay asked.</p> + +<p>“He was here quite a spell after they went away, +but he didn’t seem contented. All the time I was +on deck he was walking back and forth looking +longingly over into the city.”</p> + +<p>“Then he’s followed the boys,” Clay agreed. +“We won’t see him again until they return. The +only wonder is that Teddy didn’t go with him.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll have to get steel cages made for our +menagerie,” Jule proposed. “We can’t keep a +single member of our happy family on the boat +when Alex is away. No one else seems to count +with them.”</p> + +<p>The boys were not inclined to sleep, so they sat +watchfully in the cabin with the electricity off. +Spears of light came from warehouse offices on +the pier, and far up the street a great arc light made +the thoroughfare almost plain to the eye as day. +The roar of night traffic in the city and the wash of +the river drowned all individual sounds, and the +boys sat in what amounted to silence so far as any +noises directly on the boat were concerned.</p> + +<p>Somewhere along toward midnight, when they +had about given up hope of the immediate return +of the boys, there came a quick jar, and the boat +swayed as if under the foot of a person mounting +the deck.</p> + +<p>“There they are, I reckon!” Jule shouted, passing +to the cabin door which was open to admit the +cool breeze of the night.</p> + +<p>Clay stepped forward, too, but paused in a moment +and drew Alex back. A crouching figure +was now discernible on the prow, and Clay reached +for the switch which controlled the lamp there.</p> + +<p>With his hand almost to the switch Clay stopped +and turned back to where Jule stood, searching his +bunk for an automatic which had been placed there. +Then the boat swayed again, and there were three +figures on the deck instead of one. The light from +the street showed only bare outlines. The whole +scene was uncanny.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what to make of this,” Clay whispered. +“Shall we turn on the light, or shall we +begin shooting right now?”</p> + +<p>“If we turn on the light,” Jule whispered back, +“they’ll see us. At present, they undoubtedly believe +the boat to be deserted.”</p> + +<p>“I think they’ll run if we turn on the lights,” +Clay suggested, softly. “They’re probably river +thieves looking for plunder.”</p> + +<p>The men on the deck now grouped together, evidently +whispering, and trying to decide upon some +course of action. In the faint light, they seemed +to be hulking, heavily-built men, and the boys were +not anxious to come into close contact with them.</p> + +<p>“It may be just as well,” Clay finally decided, +“to remain quiet for a short time and see what they +intend to do.”</p> + +<p>“That’s easy,” Jule whispered, “they intend to +steal the boat.”</p> + +<p>“A good many other people have tried to steal +this boat,” Clay responded, “but we still seem to +be in possession of it!”</p> + +<p>After standing for a minute or two near the +prow, the intruders moved stealthily toward the +cabin. The door was open, but all was dark inside. +As they slouched forward, their footsteps +made no sound upon the deck.</p> + +<p>“Shall we shoot to kill?” whispered Jule. “I’m +tired of having the scum of the earth always attempting +to rob us.”</p> + +<p>“I’d never get over it if I should kill some one,” +Clay replied. “We’d better frighten them away +and see that no more get on board to-night.”</p> + +<p>As he spoke, the boy reached for the switch and +turned it. Greatly to his amazement, the prow lamp +remained dark. In some strange manner the intruders +had disconnected the wires or broken the +globe. The click of the switch seemed to have +reached their ears, informing them that some one +was on board.</p> + +<p>They rushed toward the cabin and came solidly +against the door which was quickly shut, almost in +their faces. The lock rattled sharply under the +assault of a muscular hand, and the whole front of +the cabin quivered and creaked under the weight +of a burly body.</p> + +<p>“Open up here!” shouted a gruff voice. “Open +up, or we’ll break the door down. We knew you +were here all the time!”</p> + +<p>“This begins to look serious,” whispered Clay. +“We may have to shoot.”</p> + +<p>“Say the word,” Jule suggested, “and I’ll make +the front of the cabin look like a sieve, and every +bullet will count, too.”</p> + +<p>“I’d like to aid in the capture of a couple of +those fellows,” Clay said, “and I wonder if one +of us couldn’t get out of the rear window, jump +over on the pier, and call the police. Such ruffians +ought not to be at liberty.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Jule whispered. “You go, and I’ll +stay here and talk to them until you get out. I +can keep them amused all right.”</p> + +<p>While this short conversation had been in progress +the pounding at the door had continued, and +now something heavy, like a timber or a very heavy +foot, came banging against the panels.</p> + +<p>“Just a minute more,” one of the midnight +prowlers shouted, “and we’ll break this door down +and get you boys good!”</p> + +<p>Clay moved to the rear of the cabin, drew in the +swinging sash, and stepped lightly out on the after +deck. The lights along the river front were fewer +now, and the windows of the warehouses, illuminated +an hour before, were dark. A roaring wind +was blowing up the river, and the wash of the +waves was rocking the <i>Rambler</i> unpleasantly.</p> + +<p>In all the long street in sight from the pier there +was no sign of a uniformed officer. Clay did not +know how far he would have to run to find one, so +he decided to remain where he was for a time and, +if necessary, perhaps attack the intruders from the +rear.</p> + +<p>Crouching low on the after deck, he could hear +Jule talking to the outlaws, and smiled as he +listened to the boy’s attempts to interest them.</p> + +<p>“If you break down that door,” he heard Jule +say, “you’ll have to pay for it! That door cost +money.”</p> + +<p>A volley of oaths and river billingsgate followed +the remark, and blows which fairly shook the cabin +came upon the sturdy panels.</p> + +<p>While Clay sat listening, half resolved to make +his way over to the pier and fire a few shots over +the heads of the ruffians, a figure dropped lightly +on the deck at his side and Teddy’s soft muzzle +was pressed against his face. He stroked the bear +gently.</p> + +<p>“I don’t blame you for getting out of there, +Teddy,” he said. “They’ll wreck the boat if we +don’t do something pretty soon. What would you +advise, old chap?” he added whimsically.</p> + +<p>Teddy sniffed the air in the direction of the pier +and clambered clumsily up to the top of the cabin.</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t go up there if I were you,” Clay +advised.</p> + +<p>Teddy continued his way over the roof and +finally came to the forward edge. Clay raised his +head to the level of the roof and watched him. As +he did so a round circle of light sprang up at the +head of the pier, flashed toward the river for a +moment, and died out. The next moment a sound +of some one stumbling over a bale of goods reached +his ears. Then the light flashed out again, and the +pounding on the cabin door ceased.</p> + +<p>“Now I wonder,” Clay pondered, “if that isn’t +Alex and Case! They usually have their searchlights +with them, and Case is always stumbling +over something. It would be fine to have them +appear now!”</p> + +<p>Directly a finger of light shot down the pier, and +under it a white body swung toward the boat. Clay +crawled back through the window and approached +the door, where Jule was still standing with his +automatic in his hand.</p> + +<p>The pounding had now ceased entirely, the men +evidently having been warned by the light. It +seemed to Clay that the unwelcome visitors were +now crouching in the darkness ready to attack any +one who might attempt to come on board.</p> + +<p>“Just wait a minute,” whispered Clay in Jule’s +ear. “Just you wait a minute, and there’ll be +something pulled off here! If I’m not mistaken, this +drama is going to shift to a comedy in about one +minute.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t understand what you mean by that,” +Jule declared. “What new deviltry are those fellows +planning?” he added.</p> + +<p>“In just about a second you’ll see,” Clay repeated. +“The only wonder is that Captain Joe +hasn’t pulled off his stunt before this.”</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe isn’t here,” replied Jule doubtfully.</p> + +<p>Then the boat swayed frightfully, tipping toward +the pier. There was a heavy thud on deck, and +cries of fright and pain, followed by another thud.</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe isn’t here, eh?” shouted Clay unlocking +and opening the door. “Just look at that +mess out there.”</p> + +<p>The white bulldog was mixing freely with the +intruders, who seemed to be devoting their best +energy to getting off the boat. There was a struggling, +cursing, growling mass in the middle of the +deck, and then from the roof of the cabin leaped +another combatant!</p> + +<p>Seeing the dog mixing with the pirates, and evidently +believing that some new game was in progress, +the cub leaped fairly into the midst of the +struggling mass! If the men had been frightened +before, they were now wild with terror. It seemed +to them as if the bear had dropped from the clouds. +They felt his teeth and claws, and the rough hair +of him appeared to bristle like the quills of a porcupine.</p> + +<p>Frightened beyond all measure, rendered more +desperate still by the onrush of the boys from the +cabin, the outlaws finally succeeded in breaking +away and springing to the pier. As they did so, +they nearly fell over Alex and Case who were making +all haste to ascertain the cause of the excitement +on the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>In a moment, however, they were up and away, +clattering like race-horses up the pier.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink11'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XI—THE CREW TAKES A TUMBLE</a></h2> + +<p>When Alex and Case reached the deck of the +<i>Rambler</i>, they found Clay and Jule leaning against +the gunwale laughing hard enough to split their +sides. A searchlight in the latter’s hand revealed +Captain Joe and Teddy standing by the cabin door, +looking around as if inquiring what it all meant.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Alex said, producing his own searchlight, +“if there’s anything funny going on here, +you’d better be passing it round.”</p> + +<p>“Where have you been?” demanded Clay the +next moment.</p> + +<p>“Been?” repeated Alex. “We’ve been up in +the air!”</p> + +<p>“That’s no fairy tale, either,” Case cut in. +“We’ve been arrested, and released, and attacked, +and pommeled, and now we strike some kind of a +minstrel show. What’s been going on?”</p> + +<p>“You’ve been arrested, have you?” laughed Jule, +paying no attention to the question. “Any old time +you go away from this boat and don’t get into +trouble, I’ll wire the news back to Chicago. What +did you get pinched for, and how did you get +away?”</p> + +<p>“We got pinched because of Max,” replied Alex, +“and we got out of it because we came upon a +white policeman. We escaped from Max’s cronies +because Captain Joe butted in and chewed up a +few. That’s some dog, that is.”</p> + +<p>“And he came back here and helped you out, +too, it seems,” Case said. “I should think he was +some dog!”</p> + +<p>“And Teddy helped, too,” Clay laughed. “We +had a show here for a little while that was worth +the price of admission.”</p> + +<p>“It didn’t look funny to me,” Jule protested. “I +was scared stiff most of the time.”</p> + +<p>After Alex and Case had replaced a broken globe +on the prow light, told the story of their adventures, +and explained that the chief of police had +requested the privilege of looking over the boat +in the morning, the boys moved the <i>Rambler</i> to a +slip farther down the river and went to bed, Jule +remaining on watch for the remainder of the night. +The day had been a busy one and they were all +tired.</p> + +<p>Alex was out first in the morning, poking along +the water front in the canoe which Max had deserted. +After a time Clay came out of the cabin +of the <i>Rambler</i> and called to him.</p> + +<p>“Got a fish, Alex?”</p> + +<p>Alex shook his head.</p> + +<p>“The fish won’t bite my hook this morning!” +he shouted back.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay returned, “there’s a gudgeon up +on shore that evidently wants to get hold of your +hook, and you with it.”</p> + +<p>Alex turned quickly and looked up the slip at +the foot of which the canoe lay. He was just in +time to see Max and another boy about his size +disappearing behind a collection of goods’ boxes.</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you shoot him?” Alex called out +to Clay. “You saw him first. He ought to be +shot for what he did last night.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe now came out on the deck, yawning +and stretching, and elevated his fore feet to the +gunwale of the boat. Clay patted him on the head +and pointed to the goods’ boxes behind which Max +had disappeared.</p> + +<p>“Do you think, Captain Joe,” he said to the +dog, “that you could go and get a wharf rat this +morning? I think there’s one behind that pile of +boxes. You better go and see, anyway.”</p> + +<p>Of course the dog did not understand all that +was said to him—although the boys sometimes insisted +that he did—but he did know what the +pointing finger meant. He was over the gunwale +in an instant, tearing up the side of the slip, barking +and growling as he went.</p> + +<p>“You’ll get that dog killed yet,” Alex called +out to Clay. “That wharf rat of a Max is just +like a snake. You don’t want to get near him +unless you step squarely on his head.”</p> + +<p>Both boys whistled return orders to the dog, but +he would not come back. He seemed to remember +that an old enemy was near at hand and turned the +corner of the heap of boxes with a vicious snarl.</p> + +<p>The next moment, Max appeared at the top of +the heap, fending off the dog with a board he had +ripped from a box.</p> + +<p>“Call off your dog!” he shouted. “I want to +get my canoe. You get out of it, kid, and leave it +tied to the slip.”</p> + +<p>“If you live long enough to see me give you +this canoe,” Alex laughed, “you’ll be older than +Noah before you die, and have whiskers forty feet +long.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll set the police on you!” threatened Max.</p> + +<p>“You tried that last night,” grinned Alex.</p> + +<p>“Come on down here,” urged Clay. “I’d like to +know what kind of a penitentiary you received +your early education in.”</p> + +<p>“You’d like to have me come down there, +wouldn’t you?” sneered Max. “You think you’ve +got the police on your side, don’t you? But I know +a couple of detectives that will fix you, all right. +You needn’t think I’m going to let you run away +with my canoe.”</p> + +<p>“How’d you get up the river so quickly?” asked +Clay. “Did you dive in east of the peninsula and +swim under water to Quebec?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I got up on a steamer, all right,” was the +reply, “and I’ve been here waiting for you ever +since.”</p> + +<p>“Do you happen to have a sore head this +morning?” taunted Alex. “You must have got a bump +or two last night.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll get two for every one I got,” Max +shouted, angrily. “Are you going to give me that +canoe? I’m going to have it, you know.”</p> + +<p>Alex deliberately paddled the canoe over to the +<i>Rambler</i>, secured it with a light line, climbed to the +deck, and set the motors in motion. Max yelled +out a few threatening sentences and disappeared.</p> + +<p>“We may as well be going up to the old pier,” +he said, “for this dandy chief of police I discovered +last night will be down to see us before long. +He’s a right good fellow, that chief is.”</p> + +<p>“You better hold up a minute,” Jule announced,</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe is still behind those boxes. If Max +could capture him, he’d have him in all the dog +fights in Quebec.”</p> + +<p>But Max was at this time taking to his heels +up the street which ran down to the slip; and +Captain Joe soon made his appearance, looking +very much discouraged. He was taken on board, +dripping with water, and Teddy received quite a +bath by approaching him too suddenly. The bulldog +enjoyed that.</p> + +<p>The chief of police made his appearance soon +after the boys had partaken of breakfast, and sat +down to talk over the events of the preceding +night.</p> + +<p>“This boy, Max,” he explained, “is one of the +queerest customers we have anything to do with. +He lives in the streets, apparently without money +or friends, and yet he frequently appears at a swell +hotel handsomely dressed and with plenty of money +in his pockets. He seems to have been well educated, +as you have probably noticed from his conversation.”</p> + +<p>“He talks like a graduate,” admitted Clay.</p> + +<p>“Yes, and he’s one of the sharpest little chaps +in the city. We are certain that he has had a hand +in several bold robberies, yet it has up to this time +been impossible to convict him. He is usually defended +by first-class criminal lawyers, and his wharf +rat companions seem to be very desirable witnesses +for him.”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t it possible,” asked Clay, “that the boy +lives along the river front for some well defined, +perhaps criminal, purpose of his own?”</p> + +<p>“I’ve often thought of that,” answered the chief, +“for he always takes great pains to make friends +of the creatures of the underworld. Now and then +he disappears from the city for a few days, or +weeks, but always comes back to his old haunts.”</p> + +<p>“Of course,” Clay said, “you are familiar with +the Fontenelle land claim and the story of the lost +charter and the missing family jewels?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” answered the chief, smiling tolerantly, +“every man, woman and child in Quebec +knows all about the Fontenelle case. Old man Fontenelle +is almost a monomaniac on the subject of +the lost charter. He has spent thousands of dollars +searching for it and claims that he would have +discovered it long ago only for the active and +criminal opposition of men who might lose heavily +if it came again into his possession.”</p> + +<p>“And the story of the lost channel?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“There is a queer story of a lost channel,” the +chief laughed, “but I’m afraid that it will always +be a lost channel.”</p> + +<p>“But Fontenelle is continually trying to locate +it,” suggested Clay.</p> + +<p>“Yes, but he has no more idea where to look +for it than a child in a cradle. There is a place +down the river where he thinks it might once have +existed, but he has no clews of any kind.”</p> + +<p>“Hasn’t even a map?” asked Clay, resolved to +know exactly, as far as possible, what knowledge +the Fontenelles had of the lost channel.</p> + +<p>“No, not even a map,” answered the chief. “I +tell you that the family has absolutely nothing to +go by. Young Fontenelle, who is making most of +the searches now, only goes out to please his father +and to give his friends a pleasant summer vacation.”</p> + +<p>And so the crude map which had been so mysteriously +delivered to the boys was an entirely new +element in the case! Who had drawn it, who had +connived at its delivery, who had supplied the information +buried in the legends of more than three +hundred years!</p> + +<p>Clay puzzled over the matter while the chief +chatted with the other boys, but could reach no +conclusion. Again he was tempted to reveal to +an outsider the existence of the map, and again he +forced himself to silence when the words were +almost on his lips.</p> + +<p>“I shall be laughed at if I say anything about +the map,” he mused. “The chief will tell me that +many a joke has been played on the Fontenelles, +and that this was intended to be another. He will +tell me that the <i>Rambler</i> was mistaken for the +<i>Cartier</i>, and that there is no mystery, but only +fraud, connected with either one of the messages +we received that night.”</p> + +<p>“You spoke of the Fontenelle claim in connection +with the strange conduct of this boy Max,” the +chief finally said to Clay. “Why did you do that? +Can you see any possible connection between the +two?”</p> + +<p>Then Clay told of the boy’s appearance on the +<i>Rambler</i>, referring also to the fact that he had +been accompanied, apparently, by men who sought +to seize the <i>Rambler</i> after it had been beached.</p> + +<p>“And Fontenelle claims that these men were +not river pirates at all,” Clay went on, “but says +they are ruffians sent out to prevent his making a +thorough search of the district where his father +believes the lost channel to have been. In that case, +this boy Max might in some way be connected with +the enemies of the Fontenelles.”</p> + +<p>“That is very true,” answered the chief, “and +I’ll keep my eye on him after this, although I don’t +take much stock in this lost charter business, at all.”</p> + +<p>After a pleasant hour the chief shook hands with +the boys and departed. Then the <i>Rambler</i> was +headed upstream again. The boys had had enough +of Quebec during that one night.</p> + +<p>Thirty miles or more up the St. Lawrence from +Quebec, the Jacques Cartier river enters the St. +Lawrence from the north. The boys sighted the +mouth of the stream just before twelve o’clock. +At the same moment they saw a river steamer coming +down toward them. The steamer was large +for one plying above Quebec, and, fearing that the +wash from her propeller would make trouble for +the <i>Rambler</i>, they edged over to the mouth of the +entering stream, in front of which lay a great, +partly submerged sand bar.</p> + +<p>The steamer came down, whistling and ringing, +and the boys signaled for her to pass off to the +right. Apparently scornful of so small a craft, the +pilot kept her headed directly down stream in a +course which would have brought about a collision +with the motor boat.</p> + +<p>The boys swung away toward the sand bar, trusting +to good luck to keep them clear of it.</p> + +<p>Just as she came opposite the bar, the helmsman +of the steamer did what he should have done before, +turned the prow sharply to the south. A wall +of water from the stern of the boat came sweeping +down upon the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>It caught her broadside, and in an instant she +was beached high and dry on the bar, lying with her +keel exposed and the furniture and fixtures in the +cabin and store rooms rattling about like hailstones +in a blizzard.</p> + +<p>Tumbling heels over head, catching at the gunwale, +scrambling away so as to be beyond reach of +the boat if she should go over farther, the four +boys, the bulldog and the bear brought up on the +hot, dry sand.</p> + +<p>Alex sat up, brushed the sand from his eyes, +felt tenderly of a peeled nose, and shook his fist at +the departing steamer.</p> + +<p>“You might come back here and pull us off,” he +shouted.</p> + +<p>The people on the steamer gathered at the rail +for a moment to laugh and joke at the plight in +which they had left the boys, and then evidently +forgot all about it.</p> + +<p>“Now, what do you think of that?” cried Jule. +“We’re thrown out of water for the first time in +the history of the <i>Rambler</i>. Do you suppose she’s +busted up much, Clay?”</p> + +<p>“Aw, you couldn’t bust her up with a cannon,” +shouted Alex. “We’ve probably lost some provisions, +but this river will feed us all right.”</p> + +<p>As for Teddy and Captain Joe, they turned astonished +eyes at the boat which they had never seen +in exactly that position before and started to +clamber back on board. Teddy shambled clumsily +up on deck, but Captain Joe, evidently changing +his mind, returned to the hot sand and lay down.</p> + +<p>In a moment a great crash came from on board +the motor boat. Then Teddy came rolling down +the incline of the deck hugging close to his breast +with two capable paws, and taking many a bump +in order that he might save his burden, a two +quart can of strained honey.</p> + +<p>“That stream,” Alex said, “will be just about +large enough to clean up the bear after he has +finished with that stolen honey.”</p> + +<p>“That ain’t no stream,” said Jule, “That’s the +lost channel.”</p> + +<p>Teddy ran away to a distant part of the bar +to eat his honey in peace, and the boys ruefully +watched the river in hope of rescue.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink12'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XII—RIVERMEN WITH A THIRST</a></h2> + +<p>“A lost channel and a lost boat! Still if we +didn’t have adventures just like this, we’d be contented +to remain on the South Branch in Chicago,” +said Case. “It wouldn’t have been any fun +if we had passed up the St. Lawrence without +getting dumped on the sand.”</p> + +<p>“Say, kid,” Jule said, pointing to Alex, “do you +think you can swim over to the shore?”</p> + +<p>“Swim over yourself!” advised Alex. “What +do you want me to swim over for?”</p> + +<p>“To get timber to block up this boat so you can +cook dinner,” laughed Jule. “We can’t live on the +sand which is here—that’s a pun, eh?”</p> + +<p>“What have we got for dinner?” Clay asked, +ignoring the pun. “Perhaps I’d better go aboard +and look over our larder.”</p> + +<p>“If you want to know where I’m going to +get my dinner,” Alex observed, “just look down +into the river. Those fish look pretty good to +me, and I’m hungry enough to eat a whale.”</p> + +<p>“If the time ever comes when you’re not hungry,” +Case cut in, “the sun will rise in the west. +You’re empty to your heels.”</p> + +<p>“And I’m glad of it, too,” Alex shouted back. +“But what I want to know,” he continued, “is how +we’re ever going to get off this bar.”</p> + +<p>“If we stay right here,” Case advised, “some +boat will come along and pull us off. You don’t +have to do anything unless you want to.”</p> + +<p>But at that moment there were no boats in +sight. Instead, a great raft of hewn timbers with +a rough shanty in the middle of it came drifting +down. Half a dozen river men ran to the edge +of the float and eyed the <i>Rambler</i> keenly. They +seemed amused at what had happened.</p> + +<p>“Ship ahoy!” one of them called.</p> + +<p>“Give us a rope,” Jule shouted.</p> + +<p>“Got anything on board?” the man called back.</p> + +<p>“What do you mean by anything?” Jule asked.</p> + +<p>“Oh, anything under a cork!” answered the +other.</p> + +<p>“Row over here with a couple of cases and +we’ll pay you for them,” said another voice.</p> + +<p>“What do you take this for, a floating saloon?” +asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“That’s what!” came back over the water. “If +you don’t send over something, we’ll come and +get it.”</p> + +<p>“Now that’s a nice proposition,” Case said to +Clay. “Here we get turned almost bottom-side up +on a sand bar, and a lot of wops think we’re bartenders +and have whiskey to sell.”</p> + +<p>“We ought not to let them on the bar at all,” +Alex advised. “If they get here and can’t find +what they want, they’re liable to take anything +they can get their hands on. I’m for pulling out +the guns and spattering a little lead over the +water.”</p> + +<p>“Are you going to send it over?” called the +man from the raft.</p> + +<p>“Go take a drink out of the river!” advised +Jule.</p> + +<p>“I’ll show you whether we will or not!”</p> + +<p>All this time the raft had been drifting down +stream, and the <i>Rambler</i> had, of course, remained +stationary. As the man uttered this implied +threat, he cast off the line of a boat, motioned to +two men who stood near, and the three entered +and began rowing toward the sand bar.</p> + +<p>“We’ll overtake you in a half an hour,” the man +who had done most of the talking from the raft +called out to his companions, “and we’ll bring +back something cheering if it is to be had on +that boat.”</p> + +<p>“About the only thing you’ll get on this boat,” +Case shouted, “will be bullets. If you don’t sheer +away, you’ll get a volley right now.”</p> + +<p>The men stopped rowing and backed water as +the boys drew their automatics and stood in a +row at the edge of the bar.</p> + +<p>“Aw, come on kids, give us a couple of cases +and we’ll go on our way. We’re going to get it +anyhow.”</p> + +<p>“There isn’t a drop of intoxicating liquor on +board,” Clay assured the man. “This is not a bumboat. +We’re just boys out on a pleasure trip.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what they all say!” roared a husky +brute from the fast disappearing raft. “Go on, +Steve, and get the goods.”</p> + +<p>“You bet I will!” answered the raftsman, and +again the men bent to their oars. Clay fired a +warning shot and the boat paused again for a +moment.</p> + +<p>“Will you send us a case?” shouted the leader +of the boat party.</p> + +<p>“Send you a case of cartridges!” laughed Alex.</p> + +<p>Two of the men now turned to the oars in order +to keep the boat from drifting farther down, while +the leader sat close to their seat, saying something +to them in a low tone. The two oarsmen were +shaking their heads, but the other was beating one +hand against the other vigorously.</p> + +<p>“I know,” the boys heard him say, raising his +voice as he became excited “that that is the same +boat, and that these are the same boys. You remember +what I told you when I came up the river +on a fast boat and hired out on the raft!”</p> + +<p>The boys could not hear the reply, but presently +the leader’s voice sounded again above the wash +of the river. He was evidently under great excitement, +and was speaking rapidly and vehemently.</p> + +<p>“There is more value in that motor boat,” he +said, “than there is in the whole raft. What does +it matter if the timber does float down without +us? We’ve got a boat and can put up any old +yarn that comes to mind.”</p> + +<p>The rowers still seemed to object to the plan +the leader seemed to be urging, and finally the +boat was allowed to drift down with the current.</p> + +<p>“This old world is a pretty small place after +all,” Clay remarked as the stern of the rowboat +disappeared around a little bend. “If you don’t +believe it, just consider the events of this trip. We +meet Max on the river and he laps over on us at +Quebec. We meet outlaws on a rocky island three +hundred miles away, and they show themselves +at the mouth of the Jacques Cartier river.”</p> + +<p>“And we’re likely to meet them again, unless +I’m very much mistaken,” Case warned. “I don’t +believe they went down after the raft at all.”</p> + +<p>“What was that you said about swimming over +to the shore?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“To get a fish for dinner,” Jule cried.</p> + +<p>Alex dashed into the cabin, tumbled about in +the wreckage for a short time, and came out clad +only in a bathing suit.</p> + +<p>“I’m going to swim to shore all right,” he said, +“but I’m not going over there to get a fish for +dinner.”</p> + +<p>“If you see one, catch him by the tail,” Case +shouted as the boy entered the water.</p> + +<p>Alex wrinkled a bruised nose in the direction +of the sand bar and dived under, to reappear on +the shore line a couple of seconds later.</p> + +<p>“Now, what do you think that little monkey +is after?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe and Teddy seemed to be asking +themselves the same question. At any rate, they +decided to go and see, and both were soon in the +water. The boys saw Alex race up a sandy bluff +and disappear in a thicket.</p> + +<p>Here and there on the other side of the river +were scattered houses, but he seemed to pay no +attention to these. The animals trotted after him +and soon all were out of sight. The boy was +gone only a short time and when he returned on +board and dressed his face looked anxious.</p> + +<p>“Do you know,” he said, “those fellows never +went down the river at all. They dropped down +under the bend and landed. If we don’t get off +this sand bar this afternoon, we’ll have to sit up +all night waiting for trouble.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’ll get off this afternoon,” Case +observed. “I’m so constituted that I have to have +my sleep regularly.”</p> + +<p>“Keep me awake nights if you want to,” +laughed Alex, “but don’t let me go hungry! I +was reared a pet and can’t stand it.”</p> + +<p>There were now various crafts in sight on the +river, but none came near the bar. Signals made +by the boys met with no response.</p> + +<p>“They are a suspicious lot of fellows,” Clay +decided.</p> + +<p>After several vessels had passed without paying +any attention to the shouts and signals of the +boys, they gave up trying to secure immediate assistance +and devoted themselves to the preparation +of dinner—to the great joy of Captain and the +eminent disgust of Teddy, the cub, who had certainly +eaten too much honey.</p> + +<p>The cabin was indeed in bad shape, standing at +an angle of about thirty degrees. Many of the +dishes were broken, and some of the food which +had been cooked in the morning lay in a messy +heap on the floor.</p> + +<p>However, the boys managed to boil coffee and +cook eggs, and so, with bread and butter and +canned food, they made a very good meal.</p> + +<p>“Now, what are we going to do?” asked Jule. +“We can never get this boat off alone, and the +vessels on the river won’t help us.”</p> + +<p>“I wonder if the tide doesn’t come up here?” +asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“If it does, it was not far from high tide when +we struck the sand bar,” Jule replied, “and the situation +will grow worse instead of better.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s get out our shovels and dig a canal to +the river,” Case suggested. “We can’t play any +Robinson Crusoe stunt here very long.”</p> + +<p>“And the bold, bad men from the raft will be +down on us to-night if we stay,” Alex added, “so +I’m for doing anything to get off the bar.”</p> + +<p>The boys were actually preparing to dig a +trench across the bar when a steamer to which +they called more as a matter of form than with +any expectation of receiving assistance, turned toward +their side of the river and slowed down.</p> + +<p>“Hello, there, boys,” came a voice from the +bridge. “You must have been having a head-on +collision with a sand bar.”</p> + +<p>“Why,” Clay exclaimed, “that’s Captain +Morgan! What was it I was saying about this being +a pretty small world?”</p> + +<p>“Right you are, Captain,” called Case. “We’re +up against it all right. Can you send us a line?”</p> + +<p>“Certainly,” answered the captain. “I’ll have +you out of that in no time.”</p> + +<p>And he did! The line was sent in a rowboat, +attached to the prow of the <i>Rambler</i> and slowly, +steadily, so as not to strain the timbers or produce +cracks in the hull, the motor boat was drawn +from her uncomfortable position, practically uninjured. +Clay was soon grasping the captain by the +hand. The other boys shouted their greetings and +remained on board to tidy up the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“Young man,” Captain Morgan said, “if I had +a hundred boys, and the whole mess of them, combined +and individual, got into as many scrapes as +you four kids do, I’d keep them under lock and +key!”</p> + +<p>“You’d miss a lot of fun if you did,” said Clay.</p> + +<p>“When you get a hold of a nice, choice mess of +boys, like the <i>Rambler</i> crew, you want to give them +plenty of room and fresh air. They’ll come out +all right!”</p> + +<p>“You do, at any rate,” admitted the captain. +“Let’s see,” he added, “what was it you were going +to find when I left you? A lost channel or +something like that? You didn’t find it, did you?”</p> + +<p>“We found a scrap, and a lot of ruffians, and +a friend,” Clay replied, “and that’s all we did find, +but we haven’t given it up.”</p> + +<p>“And that’s all you ever will find,” declared the +captain. “There may be a lost channel somewhere +in the world. In fact, there is one on the +New York side up near the big lake, but I’m +afraid you are wasting your time. Why don’t +you come on down the river with me?”</p> + +<p>“That would never do,” Clay replied. “When +we left the delta of the Mississippi, we promised +ourselves that we would look over every inch of +the St. Lawrence, and we’re going to do it. We’re +going to Lake Ontario and then back to find the +lost channel. And after that, we’re going to return +to Ogdensburg and ship the <i>Rambler</i> to little +old Chicago. That is, unless we decide to sail up +the lakes.”</p> + +<p>“Well, good luck to you,” said Captain Morgan, +as Clay passed down the side of the <i>Sybil</i>. “If I +get tangled up with a lost channel anywhere, I’ll +send it to you by parcel post. Why, you boys can +make a lost channel easier than you can find one.”</p> + +<p>“But it wouldn’t be half so much fun,” Clay +said, stepping into the rowboat. “We’re having +lots of sport on the St. Lawrence all the same!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink13'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIII—A MEETING AT MONTREAL</a></h2> + +<p>As Clay was being rowed back to the <i>Rambler</i>, +one of the sailors called his attention to three men +standing on the shore of the river not far away +from the intersecting stream. They stood looking +down at the <i>Rambler</i> for a short time, and then +disappeared around the angle of a bluff.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps those men want to be taken off,” suggested +the sailor.</p> + +<p>“They need their heads taken off,” Clay observed. +“I am certain from what I overheard +that one of the men was with the outlaws down +the stream. They left a timber raft here, as I believe, +for the sole purpose of attacking us in the +night and trying to get our motor boat away from +us.”</p> + +<p>“I should imagine from the build of the boat,” +the other observed, “that they would have to do +some pretty fast traveling if they caught the +<i>Rambler</i> now that she is free. She must be a speedy +boat.”</p> + +<p>“She certainly is,” Clay replied. “She’s built +like an ocean-going tug.”</p> + +<p>After Clay landed on deck the boys held what +they called a council of war. They were not exactly +looking for trouble, still they did not like the +idea of sailing off upstream and leaving the outlaws +unpunished.</p> + +<p>“They bunted into us,” Alex insisted, “and +we ought to do something to them. If they take +their boat and row down after the timber raft, I’d +like to follow them in the <i>Rambler</i> and tip them +over.”</p> + +<p>The others felt in about the same way, but it +was finally decided to go on up the river to Montreal, +remain there for a couple of days, and so +pass on to the great lakes.</p> + +<p>“If we can keep Alex in the boat at Montreal, +we’ll be doing a good job,” Jule said. “He’s been +lost in about every city we’ve come to, and I think +he ought to be locked in the cabin just as soon as +we touch the pier. It isn’t safe to turn him loose +at night.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Alex agreed, “you may lock me +up any old night when I want to sleep. That will +keep me from standing guard.”</p> + +<p>The boys anchored in a cove that night, well +out of the wash of passing steamers, and in the +middle of the following afternoon, saw the spires +of Montreal. They gazed at the great mountainous +bluff which lies above and beyond the city +with wondering eyes. There battles had been lost +and won. The flags of France and Great Britain +had in turn floated over the city from the heights +they saw.</p> + +<p>The boys decided that night to spend the whole +of the following day in the historic city. They +came to anchor in a slip some distance from the +town itself, and, for a wonder, passed an undisturbed +night.</p> + +<p>Early the following morning Clay and Jule set +out to view the sights, it being understood that +Alex and Case were to have their freedom in the +afternoon. At first the two boys kept to the river +front, examining the vessels they saw, and wondering +if their fate would ever lead them to all the +countries the craft represented.</p> + +<p>As they turned away from the water front, Jule +lifted his face and sniffed the air enjoyably.</p> + +<p>“Do you know,” he said, “this is the first +place I’ve struck for several days where the scent +of the lost channel hasn’t been in my nostrils.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve got so you can smell the lost channel +now, have you?” grinned Clay. “That may be a +good thing for our future use.”</p> + +<p>“I can’t smell the channel,” Jule replied, “but +I can scent the danger of it. Say, boy,” he added, +“We’re going to have trouble when we go back to +dig up the Fontenelle charter.”</p> + +<p>“We came out for adventure, didn’t we?” asked +Clay.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m not kicking,” Jule exclaimed. “If I +get mine, you’ll get yours, too. The only way to +have any fun in this world is to go where the fun +is. You can’t meet with adventures by staying in +bed at home.”</p> + +<p>As the boys proceeded up the street, an officer +in uniform standing on the corner beckoned to +them.</p> + +<p>“Say, boys,” he said, “do you know those two +men just behind you?”</p> + +<p>The boys turned and looked back.</p> + +<p>There were many moving figures and faces in +the street, but none which attracted the especial +attention of the lads. They looked inquiringly at +the policeman, who stood with a puzzled expression +on his face.</p> + +<p>“Which two men?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“Why,” replied the officer, “the two men who +have followed you for the last four blocks, stopping +when you stopped and going on when you +advanced. I came up the street on the other side +just behind you, and couldn’t help observing what +was going on.”</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Clay, turning to Jule, “what do +you think about having lost the scent of the lost +channel?”</p> + +<p>“I begin to smell it in the air right now,” was +the reply.</p> + +<p>The policeman looked at the two boys inquiringly.</p> + +<p>“What do you know about the lost channel?” +he asked.</p> + +<p>“Not a thing!” replied Jule. “There isn’t any +lost channel.”</p> + +<p>“Then I’ve been hearing a lot about nothing +lately,” smiled the officer. “Somehow, the newspapers +have been full of it lately.”</p> + +<p>“Did they say anything about that scrap we had +on an island below Quebec?” asked Case. “We +haven’t seen a paper lately.”</p> + +<p>“They said something about four boys being +attacked, down the river, and a great deal about +a quest for a lost channel,” replied the policeman.</p> + +<p>“And about a scrap in Quebec?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“Sure,” said the officer. “That made half a +column. Are you boys from the <i>Rambler</i>? If so, +where is the boat?”</p> + +<p>“We’re from the <i>Rambler</i> all right,” Clay replied, +“and it looks as if some of our friends from +down stream are still after us. Can you describe +the men you saw following us? What do they +look like?”</p> + +<p>“Just tough riverside characters,” answered the +officer. “That is how I came to notice them +closely. Such people are rarely seen as far up in +the city as this. They prefer the lower dives.”</p> + +<p>“We had trouble with some men from a raft +back here a little ways,” Jule explained, “and these +may be the fellows. Anyway, we’re going to +look out for ourselves and thank you very much +for having called our attention to the incident. +We’ll be careful.”</p> + +<p>The policeman went down the street, swinging +his club, and the boys turned and faced each other +with questions in their eyes.</p> + +<p>“What’s coming off here?” Jule asked.</p> + +<p>“Seems to me like a game of tag,” Clay replied. +“From the moment we left the deck of the <i>Sybil</i>, +across the river from the egg-shaped peninsula +near St. Luce, we have been It. Some one has +been after us night and day. Now, what are we +going to do about it?”</p> + +<p>“I could tell you better if we knew whether the +men referred to by the officers are the enemies of +the Fontenelles or just plain river pirates seeking +to seize the <i>Rambler</i>. What do you think?”</p> + +<p>“So far as that is concerned,” Clay replied, “it +makes but little difference. They all give us trouble, +and I propose for once that we run away from +them. I’m more in love with the river than the +men we’re likely to meet on it, so we’ll get to the +quiet spots.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean that we ought to go back to the +<i>Rambler</i> right now and cut Montreal off our visiting +list?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“In my judgment, that is what we ought to do.”</p> + +<p>Jule faced about instantly and started toward +the river.</p> + +<p>“Come on then!” he said. “I’m game for it!”</p> + +<p>The boy had turned under the impulse of +the moment without sensing that he was on a +crowded pavement in the heart of a big city. As +he swung about, he almost bumped noses with a pedestrian +who, in company with another, had been +walking only a couple of yards behind him.</p> + +<p>The man was clothed in the garb of a waterside +character, but it was very plain to the boy that +the costume had been assumed for the purpose of +disguise. His complexion was smooth and clear, +his eyes keen and penetrating, and his whole manner +and attitude proclaimed education and native +refinement. For an instant Jule and the man stood +looking each other squarely in the eyes.</p> + +<p>“Step aside, lad, step aside,” said the disguised +man, in a voice far from unpleasant. “Don’t be +blocking the way.”</p> + +<p>“Is this your street?” demanded Jule willing to +continue the conversation in order that he might +have a more prolonged view of the man opposite +him. “If it is, you better take it with you when +you go on.”</p> + +<p>The man Jule was watching so closely seemed to +understand that he was under suspicion, and, +seizing his companion by the arm, the two passed on +together, turning their heads now and then to watch +the progress of the boys down the street.</p> + +<p>“Did you see that?” asked Jule as the boys +stepped along.</p> + +<p>“Did I see what?” asked Clay. “I heard a +voice, that’s all!”</p> + +<p>“That was Sherlock Holmes in disguise. Did +you catch on?”</p> + +<p>“Not than I am aware of!” laughed Clay. +“What about it?”</p> + +<p>Jule explained what he had observed in the man +against whom the pressure of the crowd had +brought him, and Clay agreed that the man he had +heard speak in a remarkably pleasant tone had not +been following them by accident.</p> + +<p>“Those two men,” he said, “are the fellows +the policeman referred to.”</p> + +<p>“But why should men like those be following +us?” asked Jule. “Why, he looked like a banker, +or a lawyer, or a preacher. And what did he have +that kind of a rig on for? It’s mighty funny.”</p> + +<p>“You may search me,” Clay answered. “The +incident only confirms the opinion expressed not +long ago that we ought to get out of this city immediately. +Alex and Case can take their outing in +some other town.”</p> + +<p>The boys walked swiftly down the street for a +couple of blocks, turned into a side thoroughfare, +called a taxi, and were driven swiftly back along +a parallel street for two blocks.</p> + +<p>There they dismissed the cab, at the corner of +the main street, and walked along looking for the +two men they suspected of hostile intentions.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the first block they came upon +them, walking slowly, and peering to right and +left, as if anxiously searching for some one.</p> + +<p>“That settles it!” Clay said. “We’ll go back to +the <i>Rambler</i> and disappear. Once we get started, +there isn’t a boat on the river that can catch us. +We’ll fool these fellows for once.”</p> + +<p>When the story of the morning had been told +to Alex and Case, they rather wanted to remain +in the city, just “to get a line on the fellows,” as +Alex explained, but they finally consented to an +immediate departure.</p> + +<p>That night the <i>Rambler</i> lay at anchor at the +mouth of a small creek on the south side of the +St. Lawrence river. Just above them lay a wooded +island, occupied at this time by a colony of vacationists.</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> had fought her way through the +canal, and now lay only a short distance below +the border of Lake St. Frances.</p> + +<p>The boys built a roaring fire on shore and +cooked supper there, but made no arrangements for +sleeping out of doors. The blaze brought several +people from a little settlement not far away, and +the boys rather enjoyed their company. After a +time Clay whispered to Jule:</p> + +<p>“Stick your nose up in the air, kid, and see if +you can get a scent of the lost channel in this +crowd!”</p> + +<p>“Nothing doing!” Jule answered with a grin.</p> + +<p>“Now we’ll see whether there is or not,” Clay +said.</p> + +<p>He turned to an elderly gentleman who sat by +his side and asked:</p> + +<p>“I have heard that there is a lost channel on +the American side just this side of Lake Ontario. +Is that true?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said the man with a smile, “and I have +heard that there is a lost channel down below +Quebec, too. And I read in the newspaper that +you boys were in search of it. Is that so?”</p> + +<p>Clay faced Jule with a smile on his face.</p> + +<p>“Whatever we do,” he said, “we can’t escape +the lost channel.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink14'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIV—AN OLD FRIEND APPEARS</a></h2> + +<p>“How did this channel get lost?” Alex asked +with a whimsical smile.</p> + +<p>“Well,” replied the other, “I don’t believe there +is a lost channel. You may go down the St. Lawrence +river, up one side and down the other—and +I’ve been over every inch of it—and you can’t find +any place for a lost channel, unless you locate it +at a headland which was once an island. In that +case, there might be a lost channel. But the charts +of the river for two hundred years show no such +change in conformation.”</p> + +<p>“That seems to be conclusive,” Clay suggested.</p> + +<p>“Conclusive? Of course it is, but you can’t +make this man Fontenelle believe it. Now, look +here, stranger,” he went on, “I’ve read what the +newspapers say about you, and I know that you +intend to go back there and look for that lost channel. +Is that right?”</p> + +<p>“It seems to me that the newspapers are advertising +us pretty thoroughly,” Clay observed. +“Every one seems to know all about us.”</p> + +<p>“Of course!” assented the older man. “You +boys and your boat are about as well known on +this river, by reputation at least, as Lawyer Martin, +and he’s been doing a heap of traveling up +and down lately. Why, Lawyer Martin was right +here the very day the Quebec newspapers printed +the story that you boys were going to find the lost +channel. He read the story and jumped.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir! He jumped like a man going to +locate an oil claim. I rowed him out to the first +steamer that came along, and heard him offer the +captain a big wad of money if he would gain time +on the trip to Quebec.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think the story about the lost channel +had anything to do with his sudden departure?” +asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir. Yes, sir,” was the reply. “He didn’t +tell me what he suspected or feared, but he hurried +away to find out what was going on just the +same. And he hurried away right soon.”</p> + +<p>“Is he in any way interested in the Fontenelle +charter?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Interested?” repeated the other. “I should +say he was! Why, he’s the lawyer for all of us +fellows who will be turned off our farms if the +charter should be found and sustained.”</p> + +<p>“I see,” said Clay, “I see!”</p> + +<p>“Now,” whispered Jule, giving Clay a nudge +in the side, “we’ll find out who the disguised man +was. It might have been this Lawyer Martin.”</p> + +<p>“What kind of a looking man is Mr. Martin?” +asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Mighty nice looking fellow,” was the reply. +“Shows breeding and culture all the way through, +just like a thoroughbred horse shows what he’s +got in him. His face is as white as a woman’s +and his eyes are as clear as a girl’s!</p> + +<p>“He neither drinks nor smokes, and he is about +the best play actor you ever saw on the stage. +Put a river man’s rig on him and he looks like +a river man.</p> + +<p>“Dress him up like a preacher, and you’d think +he had the bible by heart. He’s been in our schoolhouse +many a time on his trips here, showing the +boys and girls how to conduct a commencement +exhibition. Oh, he’s mighty popular all along the +river!”</p> + +<p>Another nudge and whisper from Jule.</p> + +<p>“Blonde or black?” the boy suggested.</p> + +<p>“I think I know the man,” Clay went on, following +the lead again. “He has very black eyes, +hasn’t he? And a nose with a little hump on it, +and a wide, straight mouth and thin lips.”</p> + +<p>“No, sir. No, sir,” was the reply. “He’s got +light hair and blue eyes, and a straight nose, and +a mouth that isn’t wide nor straight. Mighty +handsome man, is Lawyer Martin. We all like +him up here!”</p> + +<p>“And you will lose your farm if this charter +is found and sustained?” asked Clay. “You and +many of your neighbors?”</p> + +<p>“That’s what they say,” replied the other, +“though, of course, it will depend upon what +young Fontenelle says about it.”</p> + +<p>“The courts might not sustain the charter,” +suggested Clay.</p> + +<p>“Oh well, we’re not worrying about it,” was the +reply. “We’re leaving the whole case to Lawyer +Martin.”</p> + +<p>As the night advanced the residents left the +campfire and returned to their homes, while the +boys sought their bunks on board the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“What was it some one said about a small +world?” asked Clay. “Who was it that said that +a face once seen was sure to cross our paths in +future years? Was it the same man who said +that a note of music once struck revolves around +the earth for countless millions of years, never +ceasing, never reaching mortal ears, but making its +way through space forever?”</p> + +<p>“Hold on!” Alex cried. “Come down from +the stars if you want to talk to us.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay went on, “every person we have +met at our stopping-places has been seen or heard +of at the next stopping-place. We meet a disguised +man on the street at Montreal. We come +to a campfire by the riverside, miles above the +city, to learn why he was disguised, and why he +was following us. As we have said several times +lately, this is a pretty small world. The man you +meet to-day may walk in your path forever!”</p> + +<p>The boys were astir early in the morning. They +cooked breakfast on the shore, watched by inquisitive +boys and girls, and then proceeded upstream. +They passed beautiful Lake St. Frances +long before noon, and just as night fell tied up +at a lower pier at Ogdensburg. As soon as +supper had been eaten, Alex and Captain Joe started +away together.</p> + +<p>“Here, where are you boys going?” asked Clay. +“I say boys because Captain Joe has more sense +than Alex,” he added, turning to the others. “At +least Captain Joe doesn’t get lost very often.”</p> + +<p>“Right over here on the river front,” Alex replied, +“is where the Rutland Transit Company +boats dock. Those boats are fresh from Chicago, +and I’m going over to see if I can get a drink of +Lake Michigan water!”</p> + +<p>“If you go over there with that dog,” Case declared, +“the sailors will steal him. That dog is +about as well known in Chicago as Carter H. Harrison. +He’s had his picture in every one of the +Chicago newspapers.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” replied Alex. “If they catch him +and take him back to Chicago, they’ll have to take +me with him.”</p> + +<p>The boy took his departure, accompanied by +the dog, and the others sat down to a quiet evening +in the cabin. They had had several pleasant +days and many thrilling adventures on the St. +Lawrence river.</p> + +<p>There remained now only about a hundred miles +of travel, Lake Ontario being only that distance +away. But included in that hundred miles were +all the beautiful islands, great and small, which +have made the St. Lawrence river famous.</p> + +<p>The pleasantest part of their trip was yet to +come.</p> + +<p>While the boys lay in the cabin, with the lights +all out as usual, a heavy step sounded on the deck, +and there came a sharp rap at the cabin door. The +boys sprang out of their bunks instantly.</p> + +<p>“What’s coming off now?” whispered Jule. +“Anyway, this fellow has more manners than our +other night visitors.”</p> + +<p>Clay stepped to the door, searchlight in hand, +and turned a circle of flame on the face of the +newcomer. Then he dropped the electric and +sprang forward. The boys were getting ready +with their automatics when they heard his voice +speaking in great excitement.</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe!” he cried. “Captain Joe! +Where the dickens did you come from? What are +you doing at Ogdensburg?”</p> + +<p>“I might ask the same question of you,” replied +the hearty old ex-captain. “To tell you the truth, +lad,” he went on, “I’ve been so lonesome ever +since you boys left the South Branch that I’ve +done quite a lot of traveling, for an old man. Several +times I’ve been almost up with you but you +always got away.”</p> + +<p>“You never came all the way up here to visit +us?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“To be honest about it, boys,” the ex-captain +replied, “I just did that very thing. I’ve got a +friend who is captain of the Rutland boat which +arrived this evening, and I came on with him. +Mighty fine trip we had, too. And how are you +all, and where is Alex and my namesake?”</p> + +<p>“You wouldn’t know Captain Joe,” laughed +Clay. “He’s got to be the biggest, fiercest, wisest, +pluckiest bulldog in the world.”</p> + +<p>“And Teddy bear! You remember him of +course,” Jule put in. “He ate up two pirates +down the river, body and bones, and is so fat that +we have to help him out of bed. Great bear, that!”</p> + +<p>“Boys, boys,” warned Captain Joe. “Don’t +exaggerate. I’ve always told you not to exaggerate. +Do you think Captain Joe will know me?”</p> + +<p>“Of course he will,” said Case. “Captain Joe +never forgets a friend.”</p> + +<p>“And now that you are here,” Clay put in, “you +are going to remain with us while we go back +down the St. Lawrence to St. Luce and return +here. Then we’ll either ship the boat to Chicago +or take her slowly up the lakes. Won’t that be a +fine old trip?”</p> + +<p>“It listens pretty good to me,” Captain Joe answered. +“To be honest with you, boys,” he continued, +“I’ve been wanting a trip on the <i>Rambler</i>, +but I never felt like getting away until now.”</p> + +<p>“You sailed on the St. Lawrence once a good +many years ago, didn’t you, Captain Joe?” asked +Jule.</p> + +<p>“Did I?” asked Captain Joe extending his +stubby forefinger by way of emphasis. “Did I sail +on the St. Lawrence river? Boys, I know every +inch of it, up one side and down the other and +through the middle.”</p> + +<p>“Then you’ll be a great help to us,” Clay suggested.</p> + +<p>“Oh, you boys don’t need any help navigating +a boat on any river,” Captain Joe asserted. “You +boys are all right! But I was going to tell you +about the St. Lawrence river.”</p> + +<p>“A few years ago, there wasn’t an eddy, nor a +swirl, nor an island, nor a channel, on the whole +stream from Wolfe island to the waters of the Atlantic +that I didn’t know all about. I’ve sailed her +night and day and I could take a ship down the +rapids now. Only the government won’t give me +a license because I can read and write,” he added +in a sarcastic tone.</p> + +<p>“Well, Captain Joe, you’re just the identical +man we’ve been looking for,” cried Clay. “Several +hundred years ago an old Frenchman by the +name of Cartier mislaid a channel down the river. +Now we want you to help us find that channel!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you want to find a channel, do you?” +laughed Captain Joe. “Well, now, I’ll tell you, +boys, if that channel has been open at any time +within the past hundred years, I can find it. Of +course I wasn’t on the river as long ago as that, +but my old dad was, and he taught me to read +the St. Lawrence like a boy reads the stories of +Captain Kidd.”</p> + +<p>“That is fine!” the boys exclaimed in a breath.</p> + +<p>Then Clay laughed and nudged his companions +and said:</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe, did you ever hear anybody say +that this is a mighty small world? If so, do you +think it’s true?”</p> + +<p>“It is bigger than I have ever been able to get +over,” replied Captain Joe, not understanding. +“I’ve seen quite a lot of it, but not all.”</p> + +<p>Then Clay told the captain of their adventures +on the St. Lawrence, showing him the two mysterious +communications, with the understanding that +he was never to mention their existence to any +one.</p> + +<p>“And so there really is a lost channel?” asked +Captain Joe.</p> + +<p>“You bet there is! There is more than one +lost channel. Go bite him doggie!”</p> + +<p>The voice came from the doorway, and the next +moment, Alex and Captain Joe, the bulldog, came +tumbling into the room.</p> + +<p>“Say, my namesake is getting to be some dog,” +shouted the Captain, after the greetings were over. +“He’s big enough to find a lost channel anywhere. +And he looks fierce enough, too.”</p> + +<p>“He’s always perfectly willing to do his share +of the looking,” Alex grinned. “And we’re perfectly +willing to give him a chance to help.”</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll take him into partnership,” Captain +Joe, the man, said, “and we’ll go out hunting for +what you seek. If there is a lost channel anywhere +it will go hard if we don’t find it!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink15'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XV—THROUGH THE FAMOUS RAPIDS</a></h2> + +<p>A special bunk, the softest and springiest that +could be made, was fitted up for Captain Joe in +the cabin that night. The old fellow so enjoyed +visiting with the boys that it was late before they +went to sleep, and so the sun was well up when they +left their beds in the morning.</p> + +<p>“Now,” Clay said, after all had indulged in a +short swim in the river, “we’re going to celebrate +the arrival of Captain Joe by one of Alex’s beefsteak +breakfasts at a restaurant. Captain Joe has +traveled so far to see us that we’re not going to +take any chances on having him poisoned by Case’s +cooking.”</p> + +<p>“Now look here, boys,” Captain Joe remonstrated, +“I’ve had a good many restaurant meals +along the South Branch since you boys deserted +me, and a chef has been cooking for me on the +Rutland boat, so I propose that we get breakfast +right here, on the <i>Rambler</i>. It will be a novelty +for me, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“What would you like, Captain?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Captain Joe almost smacking his +lips, “you know the kind of pancakes they serve +at the Bismark, Chicago? They’re half an inch +thick, you know, and as large as the bottom of a +milk pan. Cost a quarter apiece, and a fellow +doesn’t want anything more to eat all day! Now, +you go ahead and make pancakes like we used to +get at the Bismark.”</p> + +<p>“And eggs, and ham, and beans, and coffee, +and fried potatoes, and canned peaches?” asked +Case. “We’re sure going to celebrate, Captain +Joe.”</p> + +<p>“Well boys,” said the old captain, “if you want +to go and make provision tanks of yourselves, you +can do it, but for my part, I’m going to be careful +in my eating, as I’m getting old! Just rig me up +a simple little meal consisting of eight or ten of +those twenty-five cent pancakes and half a dozen +eggs and three or four cups of coffee, and I’ll try +to worry through the day.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how you can get along with +anything less than a dozen pancakes and a gallon of +coffee,” laughed Clay, “and I’ll go on shore and +buy a box of the finest cigars to be had in Ogdensburg.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe held up a warning finger.</p> + +<p>“Now look here, boys,” he said, “you know +how I used to pull away at that dirty old pipe on +the South Branch. I used to be ashamed of myself, +smoking up your quarters, so after you left +I quit the weed entirely. I haven’t smoked a pipe +or cigar for a long time,” he added, proudly.</p> + +<p>And so the breakfast was prepared as Captain +Joe directed. The boys set out what little honey +Teddy hadn’t succeeded in getting hold of, and +the pancakes were greatly enjoyed. But the Captain +didn’t finish his stunt.</p> + +<p>“You boys are mighty good to an old man like +me,” he said.</p> + +<p>“Mighty good!” repeated Clay. “Don’t you +remember when some sneak stole all the money +we had been saving for a year to take us on the +Amazon trip? Don’t you remember how we hustled +and got a little more together, and how you +were afraid we wouldn’t have enough, and might +go broke in the Andes, and you took two hundred +dollars and put it in a packet and told us to open +it when we got into trouble? There is nothing on +this boat you can’t have, Captain Joe.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the old man, “I didn’t need the +money, and, besides, I got it back. It didn’t cost +me anything to lend it.”</p> + +<p>“We needed it, though,” grinned Alex, “and +we might have been back there yet if we hadn’t +had it. You’re the luckiest man I know of or it +would never have been returned. And we were +lucky, too.”</p> + +<p>“And now, if you don’t mind,” said Captain +Joe, “we’ll cut all this talk out. I’m going to stay +with you boys just as long as you’ll let me, and +I don’t want to hear any more talk about that consarned +two hundred dollars. I’ve heard too much +already.”</p> + +<p>“We think of it every time we see the white +bulldog,” laughed Case.</p> + +<p>“By the way,” said the Captain, “I’ve got that +two hundred dollars in my jeans this minute, and +if you should happen to want any of it just let +me know. I really don’t know what to do with +it.”</p> + +<p>“Pigs will be flying when we use any more +of your money, Captain Joe,” Alex smiled. +“We’ve got plenty of our own.”</p> + +<p>After breakfast, with Captain Joe at the helm, +the boat was turned toward the Great Lakes. It +was seven o’clock when they left Ogdensburg and +at ten they were at Alexandria Bay.</p> + +<p>“Suppose we keep on the Canadian side going +up,” Captain Joe suggested, “and then, when we +come back, we can take the American side.”</p> + +<p>“Can you take the boat up and back without +knocking off any of these headlands?” asked +Alex with a wink at the Captain.</p> + +<p>“Look here, young man,” replied the Captain +not at all offended, “I was dipping the water into +this river before you were born. I can take this +boat within an inch of every island and crag and +headland between here and Lake Ontario and +never scrape off an ounce of paint. I’ve sailed on +the ocean, too, and all up and down the Great +Lakes. This St. Lawrence river was always like +a little pet kitten to me.”</p> + +<p>According to this suggestion, the captain left +Alexandria Bay to the south and proceeded over +to the Canadian side. The boat was now just +starting in on its run through the famous Thousand +Islands.</p> + +<p>Many times it seemed to the boys as if Captain +Joe intended to run the craft directly through +some of the magnificent cottages located high +above the river, but always the boat turned just +in time to keep in foot-clear water. The boys stood +leaning on the gunwale for hours watching the +splendid panorama of the river.</p> + +<p>There were islands rich with verdure; there were +islets brown and rocky, there were great level +places hemmed in by the river where magnificent +summer residences showed against the beauty of +the landscape.</p> + +<p>Now and then summer tourists hailed the <i>Rambler</i> +from the river, and occasionally girls and +boys ran down the island piers to greet her with +the waving of flags. It was a glorious trip.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe explained many features of the +stream as they passed up, and as long as the boys +lived they remembered the shimmer of the sun on +the island foliage, the white-fringed waves rumpled +by the light wind, and the voice of the kind +old man telling them the experiences of a life time.</p> + +<p>Just before sundown, after one of the +pleasantest days they ever experienced, the boys reached +Kingston. Captain Joe seemed disinclined to leave +the boat that night, and so the boys spent three +hours wandering up and down the streets of the +historic old city. Off to the west lay the famous +Bay of Quinte. Farther south was Sackett’s Harbor, +while between the two lay Wolfe island, stuck +into the mouth of the St. Lawrence river like a +great plug. The boys enjoyed the night ramble +immensely.</p> + +<p>“Now, Captain Joe,” Clay said in the morning, +“suppose we circle Wolfe island, inspect the light +house at Cape Vincent, and spend part of a day at +Sackett’s Harbor? I don’t know of any better +way to spend the next twelve hours than in making +a trip like that.”</p> + +<p>“Sackett’s Harbor was a military point during +the last war with Great Britain,” Jule said, “and +I’d like to look over the town.”</p> + +<p>“Nothing much doing there now in the way of +guns and soldiers,” Captain Joe said, “but, as you +say, it would pay you well to spend a day on the +waters in this vicinity. You may never have the +chance again.”</p> + +<p>So the <i>Rambler</i> headed for Cape Vincent, +where they stopped long enough to inspect the big +light, first taking a view of Sackett’s Harbor. +About noon, they came to Clayton, where they +paused long enough to inspect several groups of +islands on the American side.</p> + +<p>Then, with Captain Joe still at the helm, the +boat passed down to Alexandria Bay where they +tied up for the night.</p> + +<p>“To-morrow,” Captain Joe said, as the boys +made great inroads on the Bismark pancakes +stacked up on the table, “I’ll take you through the +Lachine rapids. You’ll find we’ll have to go +some.”</p> + +<p>“You haven’t got any government license!” +laughed Alex.</p> + +<p>“No,” said the old Captain, “I’m not an ignorant +Indian. I can read and write, and so I can’t +get a government license, but I’ll tell you what I +can do. I can take this boat down the Lachine +without getting a drop of water on the deck.”</p> + +<p>The Captain was a little bit inclined to tell what +he had done and what he could do, but his stories +were all truthful and interesting, so the boys rather +enjoyed them, and the captain enjoyed talking.</p> + +<p>“You needn’t think we’re going to fly through +the air on this trip,” Jule said winking at the Captain. +“We’re going to take about two days to +get down to the Lachine. We’ll loaf along the +river to-morrow, making about one hundred miles, +tie up for the night, and reach Lachine in the +afternoon of the day after. What do you think of +that for a program, boys?” he added, turning to +Clay.</p> + +<p>“That’s the way I figured it out,” Clay answered. +“There is no use in being in a hurry. +We’ve got all the time there is.”</p> + +<p>Every person on the boat, except perhaps the +dog and the bear, slept soundly that night. There +was no wind, and the little bay they were in protected +them from the wash of the steamers. When +they awoke in the morning the sun was rising +round and red out of the river.</p> + +<p>That day was another one long to be remembered +by every member of the <i>Rambler</i> party. +They drifted, using the motors just enough to +give headway, fished in the clear water, and told +stories of old days on the South Branch—days +long to be remembered by them all.</p> + +<p>That night partook of the character of the last +one so far as sleep and rest were concerned. The +boat lay at a little pier not far from a rural settlement. +Early in the evening villagers came down +attracted by the clamor of the motors but soon +returned to their homes.</p> + +<p>It was on that evening that Alex made his famous +attempt to cook a river fish a la Indian. +There was something the matter with the fish, or +with the hot stones, or with the soil! At any rate, +the white bulldog and the bear cub got the supper +the boy had sweated over for an hour or more.</p> + +<p>Shortly after noon on the following day, the +<i>Rambler</i> came to the head of the Lachine rapids, +six miles above Montreal.</p> + +<p>Although the boys had every confidence in Captain +Joe as a pilot, some of them were inclined to +think that his memory of the rapids might not be +as good as his skill. Many a time during that +passage the grand and lofty tumbling of the +waters as they broke upon projecting rocks seemed +about to engulf the frail craft.</p> + +<p>Many a time the nose of the <i>Rambler</i> seemed +pointing directly at a hidden rock which sent the +river spouting into the air like the “blow” of a +great whale. Many a time the wayward current +caught the prow and twisted it about until it +seemed as if the boat would never respond to her +rudder again.</p> + +<p>But the eyes of the captain were true, the arms +of the old sailing man were strong, and so the boat +always came back to the course he had mapped out +for her. When at last the rapids were passed, the +boys were greatly relieved.</p> + +<p>During the excitement of the trip, little fear had +been felt after the first plunge, but now that it +was over, they realized that they had been in absolute +peril. Almost with the momentum which had +carried the <i>Rambler</i> down the Lachine, the boat +came to a pier on the river front at Montreal. +Looking about, the boys saw that they were almost +in the location where they had tied up before.</p> + +<p>Clay sprang ashore, hastened to a telephone, +talked eagerly for a few moments and then returned +to the <i>Rambler</i>. Captain Joe sat out on the +prow and the boy took a deck stool beside him.</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe,” the boy asked, “what would +have taken place if we had run out of gasoline +while navigating the rapids?”</p> + +<p>The captain eyed the boy with surprise showing +on his weather-beaten face. He poked Clay in +the ribs before answering.</p> + +<p>“Why do you ask an old captain a foolish question +like that?” he said.</p> + +<p>“I’m asking for information,” was the reply. +“Tell me what would have happened. I really +want to know.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Captain Joe replied, scratching his +chin meditatively, “if the gasoline had given out +in the rapids, just about this time there would be +a lot of boards bumping against the rocks, and +a motor rusting in the bottom of the river, and +five human beings, a bulldog and a bear floating +out toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence.”</p> + +<p>“That’s just what I thought,” Clay exclaimed. +“That’s just why I was scared stiff when I found +out that we were just about out of gasoline as we +struck the head of the rapids.”</p> + +<p>“And you never said a word about it,” asked +the captain, “to any of the boys? You kept it all +to yourself?”</p> + +<p>“Huh,” replied Clay, “where was the use in +scaring the fellows out of a year’s growth. Didn’t +you notice my cap walking straight up into the +air? That was because my hair lifted it.”</p> + +<p>“Boy, boy,” expostulated Captain Joe, “don’t +lie to the old man. I don’t believe you were scared +at all.”</p> + +<p>“Well, anyway,” replied Clay, “the tanks are +empty, and there will be a wagon down here pretty +quick to fill them up. Now mind you, I’m not going +to say a word to the other boys about this. If +I do, they’ll never get over roasting me. We +should have taken on gasoline at Kingston, but +I forgot all about it.”</p> + +<p>“Do you remember what you told me about this +Lawyer Martin?” asked Captain Joe. “He seems +to be the lawyer leading the band of ruffians who +are trying to keep the lost channel lost forever!”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” replied Clay, “and I was just going to +speak about that. It was in Montreal that we met +him, disguised as a riverside character, and I was +wondering if it might not be well to go ashore and +look him up.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you ever think of doing that,” Captain +Joe replied. “You get your gasoline and lay in +additional pancake material and we’ll go on down +the river to Cartier island. That’s what they +call that peninsula, isn’t it? Let me tell you this,” +the old man added, “if you have anything more +to do with this man Martin, you let him be the +one to do the looking up.”</p> + +<p>“That’s good sense, too,” agreed Clay. “He +might discover that we were on our way back if +we went up into the city. So we’ll remain quiet +to-night and set out for Cartier island and the lost +channel early to-morrow morning.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink16'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVI—A CALL FROM WRECKERS</a></h2> + +<p>Nothing occurred to disturb the slumbers of +the <i>Rambler’s</i> crew that night. The cool wind +made the cabin of the boat comfortable, and the +street lights of Montreal winked down upon the +craft with friendly eyes. The afternoon of the +following day found them at Quebec.</p> + +<p>“I’ve been thinking,” Clay said as the boat tied +up at the pier they had occupied on the occasion +of their former visit, “that we ought not to keep +this stolen canoe. Of course Max stole it.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps he’ll come down here and claim it +again,” suggested Jule.</p> + +<p>“If he does,” Alex exclaimed, “I’m going on +shore to find him and get even with him. He’d no +business to bring that gang of wharf rats onto us. +I hope he’s under arrest somewhere.”</p> + +<p>“There’s an idea!” suggested Case. “Suppose +we telephone to the chief of police and find out. +We can leave the canoe in the care of the chief, +too, if we want to. He might be able to find the +owner.”</p> + +<p>“It seems to me,” Captain Joe interrupted, “that +you boys may as well keep that canoe until we return +to Quebec, on our way to the Great Lakes. It +will come in mighty handy when we’re prowling +around those two rivers you’ve been talking about. +The owner won’t miss it for a few days.”</p> + +<p>“That’s another good notion,” Clay agreed. +“We’ll use the canoe and return it when we get +back. And now I’ll go and telephone to the chief +of police and see if he has discovered anything additional +about Max.”</p> + +<p>Clay was gone only a short time. When he returned, +he looked a trifle anxious. When he spoke, +it was in an excited tone.</p> + +<p>“Look here, boys,” he said, “the chief of police +advises to us to give up that hunt for the lost +channel. He says that Fontenelle has just returned +from Cartier island leaving a wrecked +launch and a lot of perfectly good stores stacked +on the bottom of the river.”</p> + +<p>“I had an idea,” Captain Joe suggested, “that +things would be moving about the time we got +down here. Why, do you know, boys,” he went +on, “that this lost channel matter is creating about +as much excitement in Quebec province as the +coronation of a new king ought to?”</p> + +<p>“The procession seemed to start about the time +we struck the river,” Alex grinned, “and there’s +been music ever since we left St. Luce.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Clay went on, “and the newspapers +have been printing feature stories and describing +the family jewels, and the lost channel, and telling +how many land-holders would be made homeless +if the charter should ever be found and sustained. +The newspapers are always meddling with +our affairs.”</p> + +<p>“You let the newspapers alone,” advised Captain +Joe. “They have advertised you boys, and the +<i>Rambler</i>, and the bulldog, and the bear, from one +end of this river to the other.”</p> + +<p>“Well, what do you think about this advice +given by the chief?” asked Clay. “We ought to +reach some conclusion immediately.”</p> + +<p>“You came down here to find that lost channel, +didn’t you?” asked Uncle Joe with a twinkle +in his eyes.</p> + +<p>“We came down here to look for it,” answered +the boy.</p> + +<p>“Well, then,” continued Captain Joe, “we’ll go +and look for it.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what I thought!” cried Case.</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t turn back now for a million!” +yelled Alex.</p> + +<p>“Boys,” smiled Captain Joe, “I never knew +any one to get rich by changing plans every time +some fool friend advanced a contrary opinion. +When you make up your mind to do a thing, you +go right on and do it. Did you ever notice the +bulldog when he gets into a scrap?”</p> + +<p>“I’ve seen him in several scraps,” answered +Clay.</p> + +<p>“Well,” went on the captain, “when the bulldog +gets into a fight, the harder they chew him the +tighter he hangs on, and that’s about the way all +the money and reputations have been made in this +combative world.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, we hadn’t any idea of turning back,” Clay +hastened to say. “I only wanted to know what +the others thought about it.”</p> + +<p>“Well you found out pretty quick,” laughed +Jule. “Why, we’ve had four or five days that we +haven’t had a fight, or seen a midnight prowler, +or been dumped on a sand bar, or experienced any +other pleasant little incident of that description. I +was actually beginning to fear that our river trip +from this time on would be one long sweet dream.”</p> + +<p>The boys passed another restful night and were +up with the sun. The first thing Alex did after +bathing and dressing was to spring to the pier and +start off into the city.</p> + +<p>“Here, here!” cried Captain Joe. “We don’t +allow little boys to go wandering off alone! If +you’ve got to go, I’m going with you.”</p> + +<p>“That’s fine!” shouted Alex, capering about +on his toes. “Come along, and we’ll take the old +town to pieces to see what makes it tick.”</p> + +<p>“I’m going uptown,” Alex explained as they +mounted one of the sidling streets which led up +from the river, “to buy a porterhouse steak that +weighs ten pounds. This will be our last chance.”</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Captain Joe mildly, “don’t you +think a porterhouse steak weighing nine pounds +and a half would be enough for our breakfast?”</p> + +<p>“But we ain’t going to have this steak for breakfast,” +Alex protested. “I’m going to put this +steak in that cute little cold air refrigerator of ours +and when wet get down to Cartier island, I’m going +to cook a beefsteak a la brigand. If you eat +a steak cooked in that way once, you’ll never want +one cooked any other way. It’s simply great!”</p> + +<p>“It’s a new one on me,” replied Captain Joe.</p> + +<p>“Oh, well,” Alex said, “I’ll show you all about +cooking it when the time comes. When we get +back to the South Branch, you can have one every +day if you want it. We can get pretty good porterhouse +in Chicago.”</p> + +<p>The two strolled through the city for a couple +of hours, buying vegetables, condensed milk, tinned +goods, fresh fruit and meats. Later, when the +provisions were delivered to the <i>Rambler</i> at the +foot of the pier, Case declared that Alex had +spent money enough to take them all over Europe. +Alex was somewhat disappointed to think that +he had not encountered Max in the city, but did +not inform his chums how keenly he had watched +for him.</p> + +<p>“What did the chief of police say about Max?” +asked the boy as they returned to the boat. “You +forgot to say anything about that.”</p> + +<p>“Sure I did,” answered Clay. “Well, he said +that Max had blossomed out in a suit that must +have cost a hundred, with a big roll of money in +his pocket. He said, too, that he had strutted +around the city for a few days and then suddenly +disappeared. It is the opinion of the chief that +the boy, who is by no means as young as he looks, +went down the river to Cartier island.”</p> + +<p>“I really hope he has,” Alex blurted out, “I’ll +crack that boy’s crust if I ever come across him.”</p> + +<p>“And you’ll wash dishes, too,” laughed Captain +Joe. “Oh, I remember how you boys used to +fight against slang up on the South Branch.”</p> + +<p>That night the boys anchored the <i>Rambler</i> in a +cove of good size just south of Rivere du Loup. +They were well away from the wash of the steamers, +and yet not near enough to the houses of the +little railway station to attract general attention.</p> + +<p>The night closed down cloudy and dark. The +passing vessels on the river seemed to burn holes +in the darkness for only an instant and then disappear.</p> + +<p>The sounds which came from the water rang +loudly in the heavy atmosphere and sounded mysterious +and uncanny. There were plenty of vessels +on the river now, as the channel between the +gulf and Quebec is navigable for the largest ocean +steamers.</p> + +<p>While the boys lay in the cabin, sheltered from +the gulf wind which had been so grateful the night +before, the heavy rumbling of a freight train and +sharp call of an engine whistle came to their ears.</p> + +<p>“That listens good to me,” Alex cried. “Say, +fellows, how would you like to know, just for a +couple of hours, that the noise of that train came +from the Union station in little old Chicago?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Jule exclaimed, “I like to look into the +river and think I’m standing on Madison street +bridge! Do you remember the stories the newspapers +used to print about the water in the Chicago +river, before the drainage canal was put +through? Pretty good fiction, eh?”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe chuckled until his shoulders shook +like jelly.</p> + +<p>“Every reporter on the Chicago papers in those +days,” the captain said, “was turning out works +of fiction. They used to print pieces about men +falling off Madison street bridge and off Clark +street bridge and dashing out their brains on the +solid water below. And then they used to tell +stories about the river being so black the typists +used to color their ribbons in it. There’s something +about Chicago that seems to me to stir the +imagination! It’s a great old town!”</p> + +<p>The boys discussed their home city until something +like ten o’clock. They were just going to +bed when a call came from the shore at the end of +the cove. All were on deck instantly.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps that’s Max,” suggested Jule, “or one +of those river pirates.”</p> + +<p>“Or it may be a detachment of ruffians looking +for the lost channel,” Case put in.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe sat back and laughed heartily.</p> + +<p>“Boys,” he said, “I believe that lost channel +has turned your heads. You talk about it, and +drink it, and sleep it, and I believe you would eat it +if there was anything tangible about it. I’m interested +in it, too, kids, but I don’t spread it on +my bread instead of butter.”</p> + +<p>“Hello, the boat,” came the hail from the shore.</p> + +<p>“What do you want?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“I want to come on board.”</p> + +<p>“Beds all full,” answered Alex.</p> + +<p>“But I want to talk with you,” insisted the +strange voice.</p> + +<p>“All right,” Clay said, “proceed with your conversation.”</p> + +<p>“I’m not here to confide to the whole countryside +what I want to say to you,” was the angry +reply.</p> + +<p>Clay was considering a sarcastic rejoinder but +Case laid a warning hand on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>“There may be something in this,” the boy +said. “Suppose two of us get into the boat and +go over and see.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you think of such a thing,” Captain Joe +advised. “That fellow may not have a boat of +his own, but if he is of any account at all, he can +get one long enough to row out to the <i>Rambler</i>. +The place for him to talk to us is right on this +deck. It may be a trap.”</p> + +<p>“That’s good sense, too,” Clay agreed. “He +can go away if he doesn’t want to comply with +our requirements. He may be only a tramp seeking +a ride on the river. There are plenty of such +characters here.”</p> + +<p>“I wish he would come aboard,” Clay suggested, +“and I’ll see if I can’t coax him,” he added, +turning toward the shore and making a trumpet +of his hands. “Perhaps he already has a boat.”</p> + +<p>“Hello, the shore,” he called, “we’re going +away directly, so if you want to talk with us, you’d +better row out.”</p> + +<p>“You always was the boy with a little prevarication +on the end of your tongue!” suggested Alex. +“We’re not going away directly.”</p> + +<p>“Morning is directly,” laughed Clay turning +toward the shore again.</p> + +<p>“Are you coming on board?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“I haven’t got any boat,” was the reply. “Why +can’t you send one over?”</p> + +<p>Clay’s reply elicited a volley of epithets from +the shore, and directly a great blaze sprang up not +many feet distant from the water.</p> + +<p>“Wreckers!” cried Captain Joe.</p> + +<p>“Surest thing you know!” answered Clay. +“The only wonder is that they didn’t set their +beacon going before.”</p> + +<p>“And this,” Jule suggested, “seems to be more +like real life. Things are livening up. They’ll be +going good by the time we get to St. Luce.”</p> + +<p>“They may be going too fast!” warned the old +captain.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink17'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVII—CAPTAIN JOE’S NIGHT VISIT</a></h2> + +<p>“I really would like to know,” Case observed, +“whether those fellows are real wreckers, or +whether they have been waiting there for the <i>Rambler</i> +to come back down the river. You know the +story was printed that we were coming back to +look up the lost channel.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know of any way of finding out unless +we go to shore,” Alex suggested, looking very +much as if he would like to pay a visit to the blaze. +“We might learn something of importance,” he +added rather coaxingly. “Suppose we do go and +see.”</p> + +<p>“If you try to leave this boat to-night,” Clay +declared, “I’ll tie you up with one of the anchor +cables. We haven’t got any time to waste hunting +for you. So you stay on board the boat.”</p> + +<p>Alex did not exactly like the idea of going +quietly to bed, but he was finally induced to do so.</p> + +<p>“Now,” said Captain Joe, as he stood alone on +deck with Clay, “suppose we shove over to the +other shore. Those fellows are wreckers, there is +no doubt of that, and there is no sense in our mixing +with them. If we stay here, they’ll prowl +around the <i>Rambler</i> all night, and the bulldog will +bark and the bear will growl, and it will be like +sleeping in a boiler shop. What do you say to +that?”</p> + +<p>“That suits me exactly,” Clay answered.</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll tell you what we’ll do. From the +point where we tie to-night, we’ll pass down the +river on the north side. That will bring us in +behind Cartier island, and we can push up the west +river instead of the east one, which seemed to be +the center of activity when you were there.”</p> + +<p>“That’s another good suggestion,” Clay agreed.</p> + +<p>“The west river,” the old captain went on, “is +a small stream in comparison with the other. +There’s a funny thing about it that I never could +understand. I was in there once, landing supplies +for a surveying party and it seemed to me then +that that stream never grew to any size until it +came within a mile or so of the isthmus which +connects the peninsula with the main shore.”</p> + +<p>“Then there must be some tributary of good +size there,” said Clay.</p> + +<p>“That’s just the point,” the captain went on. +“There isn’t any tributary of good size there. The +peninsula is very narrow and slopes steeply to the +west. In fact, the river to the east is several feet +higher than the one on the west. That’s one reason +why I think there never was any channel through +there.”</p> + +<p>“That is true,” Clay answered. “You see, a +channel through there, running at the rate the incline +would naturally call for, would cut a hole +through that neck of land about as wide as one of +the main rivers. Why, it would drain the big +river and turn all the water into the small stream. +At least, it looks that way to me.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t know about that,” the captain answered, +“there’s a lot of water in that east river. +Still, there’s no channel there and never was so far +as I can understand. Now, what I can’t understand +is, how this west river gets so big all at once. +There may be a creek running in at the other side, +but if there is, I never found it.”</p> + +<p>“You seem to understand that district pretty +well,” Clay laughed.</p> + +<p>“Didn’t I tell you I knew the whole St. Lawrence +river south, north, and bottom?” demanded +the captain. “Why, when I took that load of provisions +in for the surveyors, there were Indians +enough along the shore to give a city a population +as large as Chicago’s. And there were bears, and +wolves, and deer, and beaver, and all sorts of wild +creatures in the woods—thick as berries in a +swamp.”</p> + +<p>During this conversation the two had been +watching the shore where the light had sprung up. +With a night glass they could see figures passing +in front of the blaze, but the beacon, if such it was, +soon died down to embers, and nothing more was +heard from the shore.</p> + +<p>They both listened for the sound of oars in the +river, but none came. The tide was running in +and the current was running out, with the result +that great ranks of waves lay across the wide river +like winnows in a field of grain. The wind blew +sweeping up from the gulf, opposing the current, +and, taken altogether, it was as dangerous and +uncertain a night on the river as one could well +imagine.</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> danced and bobbed about +frightfully, drawing at her anchor and seeming to lunge +forward in the waste of water. However, she +was a staunch little craft, and the boys were used +to her capers on the waves, and so paid little attention.</p> + +<p>“They wouldn’t dare to venture out in a boat +to-night,” was Clay’s comment. “Besides,” he +added, “they know now that we are suspicious and +watchful, and, unless I am greatly in error, we will +hear no more of them.”</p> + +<p>“Shall we go across now?” asked the captain.</p> + +<p>“I’m ready if you think we can make it.”</p> + +<p>The captain chuckled again and his shoulders +shook.</p> + +<p>“Make it?” he repeated. “Of course we can +make it.”</p> + +<p>“The tide and the wind are fighting the current,” +Clay suggested, “and all we’ll have to do +will be to fight the waves.”</p> + +<p>It was rather rough getting to the north shore, +but the trip was made without accident, except that +Jule was thrown from his bunk and Captain Joe, +the dog, and Teddy protested against the storm in +ways best known to bulldogs and bears. Jule +merely rubbed his eyes and crawled back into his +bunk.</p> + +<p>They found a place to anchor where the <i>Rambler</i> +would be protected during the night by a finger +of rock running out into the river. All along the +shore to the north was a heavy forest. The trees +swayed and creaked in the wind, and now and then +a crash from the interior told of the falling of +some monarch of the forest which had doubtless +withstood the storms of the St. Lawrence valley +for hundreds of years.</p> + +<p>It was a wild night on the river and on the land, +but the boys slept peacefully until morning. As +for Captain Joe, he declared that it reminded him +so much of old nights on the banks of Newfoundland +that he wanted to sit up and refresh his recollection +of those adventurous times.</p> + +<p>Clay rather suspected that the old captain was +too apprehensive of evil from the wreckers, or +accidents from the storm, to go to bed, but he let +him have his way, and the hardy old fellow seemed +as bright and active as ever in the morning. He +even declined to go to the cabin for rest when the +boys insisted that he ought to do so.</p> + +<p>“We’ll get rest enough when we get down to +the west river,” the captain smiled. “I can sleep +in the woods.”</p> + +<p>“That’s just where we won’t get any rest,” Jule +urged.</p> + +<p>“Huh,” murmured Alex. “That’s where I get +my rest! The natives were so afraid that I’d tire +myself walking around that they trussed me up +like a hen. I’d just like to get a hold of some of +those outlaws. They’re the limit—the worst I ever +encountered.”</p> + +<p>“What did they do to you?” asked Captain +Joe.</p> + +<p>“Do to me?” repeated Alex. “Why, they had +a stew, or a boiled dinner, or something, cooking +in a tin pail over a fire, and they wouldn’t give me +a thing to eat. And that is the height of meanness!”</p> + +<p>As if repenting of the violence of the day before, +and trying to make restitution for the many +blows at the sad old world, the weather that morning +was all that could have been desired. The air +was clear and sweet after its bath of rain, and the +leaves of the forest sparkled and rustled like jewels +as the sun shone upon their moist surfaces.</p> + +<p>The boys made good time that day, although they +did not feel inclined to hurry. Alex took the canoe +out in the forenoon and caught half a dozen fish +which he cleaned for dinner. The boy wanted to +go ashore and prepare the dinner a la Indian again, +but the others insisted that they really wanted a +fish dinner, so the catch was baked in the oven of +the coal stove. The boys claim to this day that +Alex consumed half of the fish that he caught, +but of course Alex disputes this.</p> + +<p>At sundown they anchored the <i>Rambler</i> within +four or five miles of the west river, in a little bay +which ran into the mainland almost behind the +westward extension of Cartier island.</p> + +<p>No lights were shown on the boat, supper having +been prepared in the dark, and the boys sat +along the deck fighting mosquitoes and listening +to the calls of the wild creatures in the woods.</p> + +<p>The point they had selected for their anchorage +was directly west of Point aux Outardes, and when +the moon rose the boys naturally turned their eyes +in that direction. Although the point was fully +four miles away, a rocky promontory could be +seen standing sharply out against the dark line of +the forest.</p> + +<p>“Captain,” Alex said, as they sat back of the +gunwale on the prow, “I wish you’d take this glass +and see what you can discover on that point.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe took the glass into his hand and +held it for a long time, swinging it back and forth +over the shore to the north, and over the river line +of Cartier island. Then he handed it back to Alex.</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you,” he said slowly, “there’s a campfire +over on the point, and there are many people +around it. At least I see figures moving back and +forth.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps that is a base of supplies for the fellows +who are trying to find the lost channel in +order to beat Fontenelle to the charter and the +family jewels,” Clay suggested.</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t seem as if they would camp in so +conspicuous a place.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Case said, “they +have nothing to fear from officers or wreckers. +They are only hunting for a lost treasure, which +any one may find who is lucky enough to get to it.”</p> + +<p>“Let’s go and call on them,” suggested Alex.</p> + +<p>“I prefer to live a little longer,” Case laughed.</p> + +<p>“Aw, come on, they won’t hurt us,” Alex argued, +“I’m going.”</p> + +<p>The boys laughed at the idea and Alex said no +more about the proposed excursion, but Clay suggested +to Captain Joe after the others were in their +bunks:</p> + +<p>“We must watch that little rascal, or he’ll get +up in the night and run over there. He’s always +doing tricks of that kind, and some time he’ll get +into serious trouble.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe pretended to regard the situation +as very serious, and said that he would see that +Alex didn’t get away from the boat that night. +With this Clay seemed contented. The old captain +insisted on keeping watch again that night, +but if the boys had been about the deck they would +have seen very little of him, for all that.</p> + +<p>As soon as the others were asleep, the captain +untied the tow line of the canoe, stepped softly +into it, and paddled away in the direction of the +north shore. So far as possible he kept the bulk +of the <i>Rambler</i> between himself and the point +where the light had been seen.</p> + +<p>Reaching the margin of the bay, he turned to +the east and paddled straight to the mouth of the +west river. After an hour of steady work, he +reached a point a little east and directly north of +Point aux Outardes. Nothing could be seen of +the fire or the figures about it from the north, and +the captain boldly crossed the arm of the bay +stretching in behind Cartier island. In half an +hour he was on the island itself, and separated only +by a few rods of mingled rocks and bushes from +the point.</p> + +<p>Advancing cautiously to the south he came +within view of the blaze and within hearing of +much of the conversation going on there.</p> + +<p>The night hours passed slowly. The moon +swung to the south and off to the west, and the +shadows lay long in the forest before the old captain +moved from his point of observation. Then +with a chuckle he crept back to his canoe, and long +before the boys were out of their bunks he was +fishing over the gunwale of the <i>Rambler</i> in the +most innocent manner imaginable. The old fellow +chuckled as he dropped his line.</p> + +<p>“That bay stretching in behind the peninsula,” +he mused, “looks to me just as it did a good many +years ago. No improvements seem to have been +made there notwithstanding the work of the surveyors, +and the country is just as desolate as it +was then. If I had had a little more time I might +have paddled up to the mouth of the west river +and looked over the situation there, but daylight +showed too soon.”</p> + +<p>“What’s that you’re muttering about?” asked +Alex clapping a hand on the old captain’s arm. +“You must be talking in your sleep.”</p> + +<p>“Not that any one knows of,” chuckled the old +captain. “I was only saying that from here the +country looks exactly as it used to.”</p> + +<p>“And my stomach feels exactly as it used to,” +Alex declared. “You catch the fish, and I’ll cook +’em, and we’ll tumble the boys out for breakfast. +They’re sleeping too long, anyway.”</p> + +<p>This program was followed to the letter, and +before noon the <i>Rambler</i> lay up the west river +about a mile from the bay creeping in behind Cartier +island. At first no one left the boat, however.</p> + +<p>“Do you remember what the chief of police +said about Fontenelle’s boat and a lot of perfectly +good provisions lying on the bottom of the river?” +asked Clay as the boys lounged on deck.</p> + +<p>“Indeed I do,” replied Case. “I’ve been thinking +it would be a fine thing if we could find that +boat.”</p> + +<p>“I have found it!” Clay exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“Yes, you have!” Case said, doubtfully.</p> + +<p>“Sure, I have,” Clay went on. “When we +swung in past Point aux Outarde, you were all +watching the point to see what had become of the +men who camped there last night, while I was +searching the bay on the north side looking for +some signs of the wreck of the <i>Cartier</i>.”</p> + +<p>“And you found it, did you?” Case cried excitedly.</p> + +<p>“Sure, I found it,” Clay declared. “It lays +bottom down in about fifteen feet of water, with +the top of the cabin showing plainly.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink18'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVIII—IT IS NOW CLAY’S TURN</a></h2> + +<p>“Do you think we can raise her?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“We can if she has any bottom left,” declared +Clay. “If they only cut a few holes in her and +sunk her that way, we can get her out.”</p> + +<p>“Aw, what’s the good of taking up time with +the old wreck!” demanded Alex, who had listened +to the conversation. “It isn’t our boat, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“But the <i>Cartier</i> is a splendid launch, and worth +a lot of money,” Clay suggested, “and we might +pay the expenses of the trip by getting her out for +the Fontenelles. It won’t do any harm to try.”</p> + +<p>“All right!” Alex cried. “Just remember I’m +the champion long distance diver, when you get +ready to go down and look her over.”</p> + +<p>After breakfast the <i>Rambler</i> was taken still farther +upstream, as far up, in fact, as the depth of +the water would permit.</p> + +<p>“There!” Captain Joe observed, pointing to a +bend just above the prow of the boat. “This is +the strange thing that I called your attention to. +The river widens here in the most mysterious manner.”</p> + +<p>“It may be just back water,” Clay ventured.</p> + +<p>“No sir!” answered the captain. “There is +no back water here. See how steadily the current +runs? And there’s no creek running in, +either.”</p> + +<p>“Then there must be a subterranean stream running—”</p> + +<p>Clay checked himself with the sentence half +finished.</p> + +<p>“Suppose,” he mused, “just suppose, there +should be a subterranean stream running in from +under the hills—let us say from the north. That +would be a channel, wouldn’t it? And it might be +a lost channel at that! Why didn’t I think of that +before.”</p> + +<p>The boy was so full of the thought, so enthusiastic +over the thing it might mean, that he concluded +to make a quiet investigation on his own +hook, saying nothing to the others regarding the +matter.</p> + +<p>“What was it you said about some underground +stream?” asked Captain Joe. “You started in to +say something about it and then stopped abruptly.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it just occurred to me that there might be +an underground river somewhere around here, but +I guess that’s just a dream. There couldn’t be any +river, you see, for the ground is rocky, and there +seems to be no place for an underground stream to +get its supply.”</p> + +<p>“No,” the old captain agreed, “there can’t be +any underground stream that’s a sure thing. If +there are caverns they are dry.”</p> + +<p>Clay chuckled to himself, and went into the +cabin after Alex.</p> + +<p>“Come on, Redhead!” he cried catching the boy +by the arm. “We are now going ashore to dig up +the lost channel.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a nice pleasant little job, too!” Alex +declared.</p> + +<p>“Well, come on,” Clay insisted. “We’ll go +over and make a start, anyway. We may be able +to find out if the outlaws are really here.”</p> + +<p>Explaining to Captain Joe and the others that +they were going only a short distance from the +shore, the boys launched the canoe and were soon +on the sloping shore of the peninsula. Once across +they hid their canoe in a thicket which overhung +the stream and disappeared in the interior.</p> + +<p>“Now, look here,” Clay said as he stopped and +sat deliberately down in the shade of a great tree, +“I’ve got an idea.”</p> + +<p>Alex stared hard in pretended wonder and +amazement.</p> + +<p>“Where did you get it?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“Brain cell opened and gave it to me,” Clay answered.</p> + +<p>“Well, come across with it,” Alex urged.</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe wants to know where the water +comes from to make the west river so large at its +mouth,” Clay went on. “I started in to tell him +that there might be a subterranean stream somewhere +hereabouts, but I thought he would laugh at +me and so kept my mouth shut.”</p> + +<p>Alex sprang to his feet and swung round and +round on his heels, chuckling and shaking hands +with himself.</p> + +<p>“That’s the idea!” he cried. “That’s just the +idea! There is a subterranean stream here somewhere! +Look at the way the rocks are piled up, +and look at the long slope from the top of the +ridges to the level of the river. There are catch +basins here somewhere, and water pouring into the +river that no one knows anything about.”</p> + +<p>“Now go a little farther,” Clay suggested. +“Figure that at some time, say two or three hundred +years ago, this subterranean channel lay open +to the sun. Now what do you make of it?”</p> + +<p>“Holy smoke!” almost shouted Alex. “I make +a lost channel!”</p> + +<p>“There you are!” Clay began, “and all we’ve +got to do is to just look around and find it. We’ve +got plenty of time.”</p> + +<p>“That will be some cheerful job, too,” Alex +commented. “We’ve only got about forty thousand +square miles of territory to look over.”</p> + +<p>“I think,” Clay said, “that we have the idea, +and that is the main thing. The rest is only a +matter of detail.”</p> + +<p>As the boys sat under the tree, Alex having +dropped down to the turf again, a rustling of bushes +was heard to the east and they turned in that direction, +scanning the thicket closely. Then Alex +seized Clay by the arm and pointed away through +the underbrush.</p> + +<p>“Did you ever see that figure before?” he +asked.</p> + +<p>“Looks to me to be about the size of Max,” +Clay answered. “I wonder if he is watching us, +or whether he is only looking in the direction of +the <i>Rambler</i>. Anyway, we’d better move.”</p> + +<p>The boys shifted their position some yards to +the north and crouched down again. The bushes +showed motion once more, and they saw the figure +they had observed moving toward the bank of the +west river.</p> + +<p>“He never saw us!” cried Alex. “He is sneaking +down on the <i>Rambler</i>.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Clay replied, “and there are two or three +just behind him.”</p> + +<p>“I had an idea,” Alex chuckled, “that things +would begin to liven up as soon as we got into this +country. This will please Captain Joe!”</p> + +<p>“Captain Joe,” Clay replied, “seems inclined +to take things rather seriously. The chances are +that he is wondering now, night and day, how four +rattleheaded boys ever got so far over the world +without being murdered or sent to the penitentiary. +Still, he isn’t always passing out advice.”</p> + +<p>From their new shelter, the boys now saw Max +and three men pass to the west and stand under a +screen of boughs looking down toward the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“The war is on, I guess,” Clay said. “Those +fellows were here waiting for us to come back. +Did it ever occur to you that they know about our +having that mysterious map?”</p> + +<p>“Now you’ve said something,” Alex exclaimed. +“That map was intended for those opposing the +Fontenelles. It was given to us by mistake, and +the people who should have had it know that we’ve +got it. That’s why they’re watching us so. Wonder +we never thought of that before.”</p> + +<p>“It seems to me that you’ve struck it right,” Clay +answered. “They’ve been waiting here all this +time for us to come back it seems.”</p> + +<p>“Then I should think they’d keep out of sight +until we get busy looking for the channel. They +surely won’t want to drive us away before we demonstrate +what we know about it.”</p> + +<p>“I presume they think they are keeping out of +sight,” Clay decided.</p> + +<p>“Well, they’re not keeping very close watch, for +they don’t seem to know that we’re on shore.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t be too sure of that,” Clay answered. +“They may be watching us this minute. Perhaps +we’d better move.”</p> + +<p>As the boys spoke, Max and his three companions +started at a swift pace up the bank of the +stream keeping always out of view of the boat. +They passed the place where the boys lay in hiding +and for a moment the lads heard them pushing +through the underbrush.</p> + +<p>“They’ve probably gone to their tent now,” +Alex suggested, “and I’m going to follow on and +see if I can locate them.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Clay said, “only be careful. I’ll +go back to the boat and tell the boys what’s going +on. Be sure you don’t get captured, now,” he added +as Alex turned to the thicket to the north.</p> + +<p>“No danger of that,” the boy grinned and the +next moment he was out of sight, pushing through +the thicket in the direction taken by Max.</p> + +<p>Clay stood for an instant longer where the boy +had left him and then moved in the direction of +the river.</p> + +<p>But his progress toward the stream came to an +abrupt termination in a minute. He tripped over +what he at first believed to be a running vine and +fell to the ground. Then, as he lifted himself to +a sitting position, he saw the obstacle over which +he had fallen was a rope and that it was held in +the hands of two evil looking men.</p> + +<p>The men, bearded and dirty, broke into a laugh +over Clay’s look of amazement. They sprang toward +him and in a moment he was relieved of his +weapons. The boy sat perfectly still, for the attack +had come so suddenly that he could hardly comprehend +the situation.</p> + +<p>“Ain’t it the cute little child?” guffawed one +of the men, slapping his knees and bending down to +look the boy in the face.</p> + +<p>“He’s all of that,” replied the other. “This is +the little boy that’s come out here to find a hidden +channel that no one else can find. He used to be +a real cute little newsboy in Chicago, and directly +he’ll wish he was back selling newspapers on Clark +street!</p> + +<p>“Are these all the poppers you have, kid?” he +asked pointing to the revolvers which had been +taken from the boy. “You might injure yourself +by carrying them.”</p> + +<p>Clay glanced at the fellow steadily. He had +now in a measure recovered his equilibrium. His +impulse was to smash a blow into the grinning face +bent over him.</p> + +<p>He didn’t like the black, matted beard. He objected +to the greasy, frayed jacket. The man’s +snaky, near-set eyes offended him. More than once +he drew back a clenched fist to strike the evil +face.</p> + +<p>“It seems to me,” the boy said, restraining himself +with a great effort, “that I walked right into +a den and found the snakes at home.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, little one,” the man replied, “We sort of +dipped you up in a bottle. I bet my chum, here, a +dollar that he wouldn’t get you the first time he +tried. I lose, so you’d better pass out the dough +and I’ll pay up. I always pay my sporting debts.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you’d better take the whole roll,” +Clay said, producing a small handful of change and +passing it over. “You’ll get it in time, anyway.”</p> + +<p>The man took the money, counted it slowly with +clumsy fingers and thrust it into a pocket.</p> + +<p>“As long as you have money, you know,” Clay +said sneeringly, “you won’t have to be taking pennies +away from children or stealing from blind +men. You’re quite welcome to what I have.”</p> + +<p>“You just cut that stuff quick,” snarled the man +rising to his feet, his face blotching red. “Cut +that quick!”</p> + +<p>He might have struck the boy only his companion +drew him away.</p> + +<p>“Keep back, you fool,” the cooler man said, +“Do you want him to bring all the others here +with his yelping? Why, we can’t even shoot him +till sundown, so we’d better gag him to keep him +from squealing.”</p> + +<p>“You needn’t worry about me squealing,” Clay +said. “I learned how to keep my mouth shut +when you ruffians were serving your last sentence +in the penitentiary.”</p> + +<p>One of the men drew out a knife and flashed it +angrily before the boy’s face.</p> + +<p>“Keep a civil tongue in your head,” he said, +“and you, Ben, chase up to the north and get the +kid that followed Max. We’ll tie ’em up together.”</p> + +<p>Clay was now drawn to his feet and his hands +tied tightly behind his back. In this condition, he +was marched swiftly through the brush, vines and +boughs striking his unprotected face. He paid +little attention, however, to his physical discomforts. +He was listening for some indication of the +capture of Alex.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink19'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIX—A SPLASH OF WATER</a></h2> + +<p>Much to Clay’s amazement, his captor kept to +the east following a ridge of rocks from which both +rivers might be seen in the distance whenever the +foliage did not intervene. After walking half a +mile or more, the fellow turned his steps into a +narrow gully and soon entered a natural cavern +before which a campfire had been built.</p> + +<p>“Now, you pretty little creature,” he said, addressing +Clay, “you’re going to be tied up here and +left until you return the map which was given to +you by mistake.”</p> + +<p>“A map of what?” asked Clay instantly.</p> + +<p>“A map of this country,” was the short reply.</p> + +<p>“I’m not giving out maps at present,” the boy +answered.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you will be, after you get good and +hungry,” snarled the other.</p> + +<p>“In the first place,” Clay said, “I haven’t got +the map. I couldn’t get it for you if I wanted to. +The boys wouldn’t give it up.”</p> + +<p>“So you admit that you’ve got it?”</p> + +<p>“I did have a rough drawing of this country,” +was the reply, “but it didn’t seem to mean much to +me.”</p> + +<p>“That’s the document we want,” the outlaw said, +“and the quicker you give it up and get out of this +district, the safer your hide will be.”</p> + +<p>Before Clay could make any response the man +who had set off in pursuit of Alex came wrathfully +into the cave. One hand was bleeding profusely, +and there was a long cut on his left cheek. +His clothing was disarranged, showing every evidence +of a physical struggle.</p> + +<p>“Where’s the kid, Ben?” was asked.</p> + +<p>The man’s reply was a volley of epithets and profanity.</p> + +<p>“You never let him get away from you, did +you?” asked the other angrily. “You might bring +him in in your pocket.”</p> + +<p>“You couldn’t bring him in in a dray,” answered +Ben. “You might as well try to wrestle +with a bumble bee. I got a grip on the little imp’s +collar, but before I could do a thing, he had a +knife out. And then I got this,” laying a dirty +finger on a dirtier hand, “and this,” pointing to +the bleeding cheek. “And the next I knew, he was +out of sight in the jungle.”</p> + +<p>“You’re the brave boy!” snarled the other.</p> + +<p>“Look here, Steve,” Ben said, “if you think it’s +such a fine stunt to seize a Chicago newsboy, you +just go and try it yourself. I’ve had enough of it. +And that’s no fairy tale.”</p> + +<p>Ben threw himself angrily on the floor of the +cave, took a bottle of liquor and a roll of white +cloth from under a fur robe which lay in a corner +and proceeded to cleanse and bind up his wound. +Clay watched him with a smile on his face. Steve +was scowling frightfully.</p> + +<p>“You needn’t look so pleased over it, young feller,” +the outlaw said. “We’ll get that little imp, +yet. And we’ll get your boat and your whole crew. +And if we have much more trouble, we’ll start a +cemetery right here.”</p> + +<p>Clay made no reply at the time. He was wondering +just how much the outlaws knew of the map. +It seemed to him that the person who had drawn +the first one might easily draw a second upon the +loss of the first. He could not understand why the +outlaws were making such strenuous efforts to secure +the document when they might have procured +a copy.</p> + +<p>“What was it you said about a map?” the boy +finally asked of Steve who sat now scowling at +Ben. “Where did the map come from?”</p> + +<p>“It came from a blooming Indian,” was the +sullen reply.</p> + +<p>The fellow answered the question so promptly +that Clay decided that he was merely a cheap tool +in the employ of some master mind.</p> + +<p>“Well,” the boy went on, “why are you bothering +us about it? Why don’t you go and get him to +make another?”</p> + +<p>Steve hesitated and Clay listened very impatiently +indeed for his answer. Finally the outlaw +spoke:</p> + +<p>“Blest if I know,” he said. “We were told to +get the map and that’s all we know about it.”</p> + +<p>“And if you can’t get it?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Then all we’ve got to do is to start a graveyard. +If we can’t get it, no one else shall use it. +Mind that!”</p> + +<p>“How long have you been waiting here for the +<i>Rambler</i> to come back down the river?” asked the +boy.</p> + +<p>“Look here,” replied Steve, apparently regretting +his previous loquacity. “I’ve known a whole +lot of boys to get along in the world without asking +so many questions.”</p> + +<p>As he spoke he arose, went to the mouth of +the cavern and glanced out. Ben followed him +with the one eye which was free of the bandage, +but did not arise. Directly a stone broke loose +from a side of the gully and went pounding down +to the rocky bottom. Then a low whistle was +heard.</p> + +<p>“Come on in,” shouted Steve. “We did our +part. What about you?”</p> + +<p>The man who entered was roughly dressed. His +face was covered by a week’s growth of beard. +His long black hair hung straggly about his ears. +Yet, after all, the carriage of the head and body +was not that of a riverman. Clay sat looking at +him for a long time wondering where he had seen +him before. He was certain that he had seen him +before. Strive as he might, however, the boy could +not associate the figure and pose with any scene in +his past life. The man advanced into the cave and +looked about.</p> + +<p>“Where is the other boy?” he asked sharply.</p> + +<p>Steve threw out a hand to indicate flight and +snapped his fingers significantly. The newcomer +frowned.</p> + +<p>“And so you let him get away, did you?”</p> + +<p>“Ask Ben about that,” Steve replied, pointing +to the bandaged face.</p> + +<p>In spite of the newcomer’s evident disappointment, +a smile came to his face as he looked toward +the wounded man.</p> + +<p>“He’s a bloomin’ bumble bee!” growled Ben.</p> + +<p>“And it seems that he stung you with steel,” +said the newcomer. “Brave men you are, to let a +kindergarten kid get away with you!”</p> + +<p>“What I say is,” Ben answered, angrily, “that +you can go and get him yourself. This here beauty +mark I’ve got is enough for me.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t get excited,” smiled the newcomer. “It +will all come out right in the wash. We’ll get them +all, in time.”</p> + +<p>Clay began to remember the voice.</p> + +<p>“I have heard it before somewhere,” he mused. +“This man is not an outlaw in the common acceptance +of the word. He is probably the man having +this very delectable enterprise in charge.”</p> + +<p>Then he remembered the scene on the street in +Montreal, and the story which had been told him +by the campfire up the St. Lawrence came back to +his mind.</p> + +<p>This man might be the Lawyer Martin who had +been referred to by the farmer. The lawyer, it +had been stated, was apt in private theatricals and +of pleasing personality. This man was disguised +so far as clothing went, and his conversation +showed that he was tactful and understood how to +keep on the right side of the men with whom he +mingled.</p> + +<p>The more the boy studied over the problem, the +more certain he became that the man who was +handling the unlawful enterprise, designing to keep +the Fontenelles out of their rights stood before +him.</p> + +<p>Presently Lawyer Martin, if it was he, turned a +pair of keen yet half-humorous eyes in the direction +of the boy.</p> + +<p>“Did you have a pleasant trip up the river?” he +asked.</p> + +<p>“Fine!” replied Clay. “Plenty of good sport.”</p> + +<p>“If you had asked my advice,” the other said, +“you would have proceeded straight up the lakes +from Ogdensburg. It would have been safer.”</p> + +<p>“If safety was the only thing we figured on when +we started away,” the boy answered, “we wouldn’t +have started at all. We would have remained at +home and gone to bed.”</p> + +<p>“You seem to be quite a bright boy,” the other +suggested. “Why don’t you give up the map +turned over to you by mistake, and go on about +your business? That’s what you ought to do.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you get another map?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Because,” was the reply, “the old Indian who +made the one you have was drowned on the night +he turned it over to you.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” Clay said, “you +come on board the <i>Rambler</i> with me and we’ll give +the map to Captain Joe, and then we’ll all go together +and deliver it to Fontenelle. It seems to +belong to him.”</p> + +<p>“I think you’ll change your mind,” replied the +other.</p> + +<p>After a short whispered conversation with Steve +and Ben, the man left the cavern. Clay would have +given a good deal for some knowledge as to his +objective point. He believed that the outlaws had +a base of supplies other than the cavern on the peninsula, +and he was wondering if the boys on the +<i>Rambler</i> would be able to discover it.</p> + +<p>After a time Ben began drinking from the bottle +of liquor he had drawn from under the rug, and +Steve, seeing that the fellow was drinking himself +into insensibility, left the cave, first seeing that +Clay was tied hand and foot and gagged with one +of his own handkerchiefs.</p> + +<p>The boy’s position was an uncomfortable one. +He moved restlessly about, rolling toward the entrance +as if in quest of fresh air. Ben arose and +stood watching him drunkenly.</p> + +<p>“You’re not so worse,” the fellow cried. “If +I had my way, I’d get out of this mix mighty quick. +I’m a kind-hearted man, kid! The drunker I get, +the kinder I am.”</p> + +<p>Clay was on the point of suggesting that he +drink the remainder of the liquor in the bottle, so +that he might be kind enough to untie him, but did +not do so for obvious reasons.</p> + +<p>The boy was in hopes that Ben would become +too intoxicated to pay any attention to his movements, +but he did not do so. Instead, he filled a +cob pipe with villainous tobacco and sat down at +the entrance to the cavern within a few feet of +where the boy lay.</p> + +<p>During all this time, the boy was wondering if +Alex had gone back to the <i>Rambler</i> or whether he +had trailed on after the men who had attempted +his capture. In the latter case, the boy was evidently +not very far away. He listened intently for +some indication of the boy’s presence, but none +came. He wondered if the boys on the <i>Rambler</i> +would make an effort to find him before night set in.</p> + +<p>And so, gagged and bound, he spent a long, painful +day. No one came to the cave, and Ben was his +sole guardian. The man became talkative after a +while and discussed the streets of Chicago, which +he seemed to know well, but became silent whenever +an incautious word regarding the present situation +came to his lips.</p> + +<p>When darkness came, Steve and two more burly +ruffians made their appearance. They uncovered +a box at the back of the cavern and, reaching in, +drew out bread and canned fruit and vegetables. +As the four sat feeding like a drove of swine, Ben +observed Clay’s eyes fixed hungrily on the food.</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you give the boy some of the +chuck?” he asked, angrily.</p> + +<p>“Here, kid,” he added, taking the handkerchief +from Clay’s mouth, releasing his hands, and +passing him a loaf of bread and tin of beef, “just +help yourself to this table d’hôte dinner.”</p> + +<p>Steve and the others snarled out their objections +to this procedure, but Clay was finally left to eat +his scanty supper in peace.</p> + +<p>After the men had finished eating, they arose +and threw their cans and bottles into a shallow +annex to the cave on the south.</p> + +<p>“I’m great for keeping things in order,” grinned +Ben, giving a tin tomato can a particularly vigorous +kick. “I always like to see things kept decent.”</p> + +<p>The can bounded against the wall, fell to the +floor and rolled down a dark incline, and Clay’s +heart beat into his throat as he heard the splash of +water.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink20'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XX—LIFTING A SUNKEN LAUNCH</a></h2> + +<p>After the departure from the <i>Rambler</i> of Clay +and Alex, Captain Joe began exploring the little +store rooms of the craft in search of cables and +grappling hooks. He soon had quite a collection +laying on the deck.</p> + +<p>“What’s the idea, Captain Joe?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“Well, boys,” the captain replied, “you remember +what the Quebec chief of police said regarding +the <i>Cartier</i> and the perfectly good assortment +of supplies lying at the bottom of the St. Lawrence +river?”</p> + +<p>“Sure, we remember that,” Case replied.</p> + +<p>“And you remember what Clay said about having +discovered the boat as we came in? Why, he +told us right where it is.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, he said he saw it on the bottom,” Jule interrupted.</p> + +<p>“Now, I have an idea,” Captain Joe smiled, +winking at the two boys, “that it would be all +right for us to lift the launch while Clay is away. +What do you say to that?”</p> + +<p>“Great idea!” shouted Case.</p> + +<p>“Then let’s get at it,” Jule suggested.</p> + +<p>“The first thing to do,” Captain Joe said, “is to +find out exactly where the <i>Cartier</i> lies.”</p> + +<p>“Aw, I know that,” Jule said, “Clay told me +about that. It’s right over there in about fifteen +feet of water just below that submerged bar.”</p> + +<p>“Fifteen feet with or without the tide?” asked +Captain Joe.</p> + +<p>“Fifteen feet with the tide out,” was the reply, +“and the tide is out now, so we’d better be getting +busy.”</p> + +<p>They swung the <i>Rambler</i> over to the north side +of the bar and anchored. From this new position, +across the white surface of the bottom, they could +see the trunk cabin of the <i>Cartier</i> sitting squarely +up in the water. The boat had evidently dropped +straight down when scuttled, and she now lay on +an almost even keel with her nose pointing upstream.</p> + +<p>“Now, I tell you, boys,” Captain Joe observed, +“one of you must go down and attach a line to her +forward towing bitts. I’d go down myself, understand, +only I’m so big and clumsy that I might +displace too much water in the stream. Who’ll +go?”</p> + +<p>“I’m the champion diver of the South Branch,” +Jule cried, “and I’ll go down and have that line +fast in about a second.”</p> + +<p>“It’s a long dive,” warned Captain Joe.</p> + +<p>“I’ve stood on my head in deeper water than +that,” said the boy.</p> + +<p>Case got out the rowboat and Jule was taken +over to the place from which he was to dive. The +end of the cable was passed to him and he dropped +down. In a moment, he came climbing up the +rope like a young monkey, shaking water over Case +as he tumbled into the boat.</p> + +<p>“Now get a-going,” he said, “and we’ll have +this boat out of the mud before Clay and Alex return. +I wonder what we’ll find on board of her.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t expect to find a lost channel, do +you? Or a casket of family jewels?” asked Case, +with a wink.</p> + +<p>“I was thinking,” Jule replied, “that we might +find something to eat.”</p> + +<p>The boys rowed back to the <i>Rambler</i>, clambered +on board, and the motor boat was started forward, +one end of the cable attached to her after deck +cleats. She pulled steadily for a moment under +full power, but the launch refused to move. She +was evidently deeply imbedded in the bottom.</p> + +<p>“I reckon we’ll have to go down and push,” Case +grinned.</p> + +<p>“You just wait, boys, and I’ll try it once more,” +Captain Joe said.</p> + +<p>The second attempt was successful, and the +<i>Cartier</i> was drawn slowly, carefully, to the bar. +When she left her original position on the bottom +of the river, she listed to one side and so came in +almost on her beam ends.</p> + +<p>“I guess we’ve spilled some of her crockery,” +Jule laughed as the boat showed one side of her +hull. “Fontenelle may kick on our wearing out +his furniture.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, he’ll be glad enough to get his boat back,” +Captain Joe remarked. “Now, we’ll see if we +can pump her out.”</p> + +<p>The launch now lay tipping only slightly on the +bar, her keel having cut into the soft sand, with +her gunwales two or three inches above the surface +of the river. The cabin stood well out of the river, +of course, but the great body of water in the cockpit +and over the cabin floor held her down.</p> + +<p>“Now we’ll see if we can’t pump her out,” Captain +Joe said. “I don’t understand what sent her +to the bottom. She looks to be as fit as a fiddle.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps we can tell that when we get the +water out of her,” Case suggested. “There may +be a big hole in her bottom.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler’s</i> pump was now put in operation, +but the interior of the launch remained full of +water. The river rushed in as fast as the pumps +removed it, so the craft did not rise to the surface.</p> + +<p>“You’ll have to get your feet wet again, Jule,” +Case said. “Just drop over into the cockpit and +see if you can see any hole in the bottom.”</p> + +<p>Jule did as requested, floundering and splashing +about in the water as though he considered the enterprise +only a bit of fun.</p> + +<p>“Nothing doing here!” he shouted back. +“There’s no hole in the bottom that I can see. +There may be one under the double floor in the +cabin but I don’t believe it.”</p> + +<p>“Look for the sea-cock,” cried Captain Joe, leaning +over the gunwale of the <i>Rambler</i>. “It may +have been opened. It ought to be right there in +the cockpit close to the wall of the cabin.”</p> + +<p>Jule felt around in the water for a time, ducked +his head under in order to get closer to the bottom +now and then and finally raised his dripping face +with a shout.</p> + +<p>“I’ve found it!” he cried. “The sea-cock was +wide open and that’s what sunk the launch.”</p> + +<p>“Wonder Fontenelle wouldn’t have investigated,” +said Case.</p> + +<p>“The launch was probably sunk in the night,” +Captain Joe suggested, “when the members of the +party were away. When they returned to the boat, +of course, they had no grappling apparatus or anything +to help raise her, and so they just went away +and left her in the mud.”</p> + +<p>“That’s probably it,” Case said, turning on the +pump.</p> + +<p>“Hold on,” Jule cried. “You wait till I get +something to plug this sea-cock with. I can’t turn +the valve. It’s rusty.”</p> + +<p>The boy was given a basket of waste which had +been used in cleaning the motors, and in a short +time the sea-cock was securely plugged.</p> + +<p>Then the pumps were set in motion again and in +a very short time the <i>Cartier</i> was virtually free of +water.</p> + +<p>“That’s a mighty handsome boat,” Captain Joe +observed as the launch lay on the surface. “If I +had her down on the South Branch, I could have +the time of my life every day in the week.”</p> + +<p>The boys worked over the boat for some time +drying off the woodwork and fixing the valve of +the sea-cock so it would close.</p> + +<p>“Of course, she won’t run now,” Captain Joe +explained, “because the batteries and the magneto +are soaked with water. We can transfer new apparatus +from the <i>Rambler</i> and, as she has plenty +of gasoline, she will go like a duck on a mill-pond.”</p> + +<p>“I guess Clay will think we have been going +some to get that boat off the bottom,” laughed Case.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe looked at his watch, his face clouding +as he did so.</p> + +<p>“Why, look here,” he said. “We’ve been a +long time on this job. It is after one o’clock.”</p> + +<p>“We might have known that by the tide coming +in,” Case said.</p> + +<p>“I wasn’t thinking about the water,” the captain +laughed. “I was thinking about Clay and +Alex. Now, where do you suppose those two +scamps are? They ought to have been here long +ago.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps they’ve found the lost channel!” Jule +put in.</p> + +<p>“It is more likely they found a nest of outlaws +they couldn’t get away from,” was Case’s idea of +the situation. “I think we ought to do something +about it right now,” he added.</p> + +<p>“I am afraid,” Captain Joe said, poking a stubby +finger into Case’s side, “that it takes you boys +about half your time to find each other when you +go off on these river trips. First one gets lost and +then the other.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all right,” Case replied, “but every +time a fellow gets lost he butts into valuable information. +Clay may pick up those Fontenelle +diamonds while he’s gone, or find the lost charter.”</p> + +<p>“It’s up to us to do something,” Jule insisted. +“After dinner, we’ll go out on the peninsula and +see what we can discover if Captain Joe will remain +on the boat. We won’t be gone long.”</p> + +<p>Dinner was hastily prepared and hastily eaten, +and then Case and Jule rowed to the shore in the +<i>Rambler’s</i> boat, the canoe having been left on the +bank by Clay. The captain saw them disappear in +the thicket and then sat down in the cabin to watch +and wait.</p> + +<p>In less than half an hour, he heard shouts on the +shore, and then two figures came plunging down +the high bank into the river some distance above +the location of the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>The captain reached for his gun and stood waiting, +fearful at first that a bold attempt to board the +<i>Rambler</i> was being made, but as the two figures in +the water came closer, he saw Case and Jule alternately +swimming on the surface and diving. The +reason for this apparently strange conduct on the +part of the boys was soon discovered, for bullets +began whistling about their heads and about the +deck of the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>However, the swimmers reached the deck of the +boat unharmed and dropped down behind the gunwales.</p> + +<p>“Use your gun, Captain Joe!” Case panted. +“Alex is back there in the woods trying to get to +the river.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink21'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXI—DOWN IN THE WHIRLPOOL</a></h2> + +<p>When Clay heard the splash of water as the tin +can disappeared from sight, he began wondering if +what he had heard had reached the ears of the +others. The lost channel was always in his mind, +and he was wondering if the presence of a subterranean +body of water there could have any connection +with the channel which had disappeared as if +by magic two or three hundred years before.</p> + +<p>In order to settle the question as to what the +outlaws knew concerning the water which must lie +directly under their cave, he asked:</p> + +<p>“Will some of you men give me a drink of +water?”</p> + +<p>“Aw, go take a drink out of the river,” was the +reply he received.</p> + +<p>“Gladly!” cried Clay. “Just untie my feet and +I’ll show you how quickly I can get to the river.”</p> + +<p>The men laughed heartily at what they considered +a good joke and continued their preparations +for leaving the cavern. In a short time the +man believed by Clay to be Lawyer Martin made +his appearance, and then the party started up the +gully turning to the east and walking over the +roughest territory Clay had yet seen in that vicinity. +The leader of the party paused now and +then to inspect the landscape and to listen for +sounds from the west river.</p> + +<p>“What were your friends doing this afternoon,” +he asked presently. “They have dug up a new +boat somewhere.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” replied Clay, stumbling over +the ground with two husky guards close to his +sides. “Was it my friends who were doing the +shooting?” he added.</p> + +<p>“Shooting?” the leader repeated in apparent +amazement. “Did you hear any shooting? Which +way did it come from?”</p> + +<p>“From the west,” was the brief reply.</p> + +<p>Clay’s escorts glanced at each other significantly, +but said nothing. The boy was satisfied from the +attitude of those about him that his chums had been +attacked, but, as a matter of fact, he had heard no +shooting, being at the time it took place in the +cavern opening from the gully.</p> + +<p>After what seemed to Clay to be an endless journey, +the party came to the west shore of the east +river. Here, in the glade to the north of the rocky +ledge which they had followed, was a fairly +comfortable camp with tents and bunks and plenty of +cooking appurtenances.</p> + +<p>Clay was pushed into a tent and his hands and +feet bound again.</p> + +<p>“We can’t take any chances on your jumping us +in the night,” the leader said as he saw the ropes +adjusted around the boy’s ankles and wrists. “If +you only had a little sense, we might make you +more comfortable.”</p> + +<p>Time and again Clay had the name of Lawyer +Martin on his lips. He was almost positive that +the leader of the outlaws was the disguised man he +had met in Montreal, the man of whom the farmer +had spoken at the campfire. However, he conquered +the inclination to address the fellow by the +title which he believed to belong to him.</p> + +<p>“If he really is Lawyer Martin,” the boy reasoned, +“and I let him know that I know the truth, +he’ll take good care that I never get out into the +world again to tell of his connection with these +outlaws.”</p> + +<p>That night was a long one for the boy. One of +the outlaws walked watchfully about the camp all +night and another sat close by his bunk watching +with unwearying eyes. It was plain that they considered +his capture of great importance. He reasoned +that it was because they had failed in any +attack that might have been made on his chums, +and had not succeeded in securing the map they +sought.</p> + +<p>He did not know whether Alex had escaped the +clutches of the ruffians or not, but he believed that +if the boy really had been taken prisoner he would +have been brought to the camp he himself occupied.</p> + +<p>The camp was astir at daybreak, when most of +the outlaws disappeared from view, going in every +direction except across the river. Clay would have +given a good deal for exact information regarding +their plans for the day, but he could only surmise +that all their energies would be directed toward the +destruction of the <i>Rambler</i> and the driving away +of his chums.</p> + +<p>While he lay pondering over the possibilities of +the day, the leader of the party came to his side.</p> + +<p>“How do you feel this morning, my boy?” he +asked lightly.</p> + +<p>“I feel like I’d like to stretch my legs a little,” +was the reply.</p> + +<p>“If I gave you the privilege,” asked the other, +“will you promise to make no attempt to escape?”</p> + +<p>“I’m not making any promises,” Clay replied, +“so I suppose I’ll have to remain where I am.”</p> + +<p>“But you can’t get away,” the leader insisted.</p> + +<p>“How do you know I can’t get away?” replied +Clay, laughing up into the man’s face.</p> + +<p>“Because we’ve got you tied hard and fast,” was +the reply.</p> + +<p>“I’ve read in the papers,” the leader went on, +“about this Captain Joe bulldog of yours and this +Teddy bear cub doing wonderful things in the way +of helping you boys out of trouble, but they are up +against the impossible here.”</p> + +<p>“I’m sorry,” Clay said with a shrug of the +shoulders, “but you know just as well as I do that +no game is ever played out as it should be until the +last card is on the table.”</p> + +<p>The leader smiled whimsically and turned away. +After talking for some moments with the only man +present in the camp, he turned to the west and disappeared. +Then the man he had last talked with +approached the boy.</p> + +<p>“What do you want for breakfast?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“Pie!” roared Clay. “Green apple pie, red +apple pie, dried apple pie, and pie pie. And if +you’ve got any chicken pie, that will come in all +right later on.”</p> + +<p>“Your troubles don’t seem to affect your appetite, +kid,” laughed the man whom Clay discovered +to be the cook of the camp. “You’re a jolly kind +of a fellow, anyway, and I’m going to give you the +best there is in the larder.”</p> + +<p>In half an hour a really good breakfast of ham +and eggs, potatoes, bread and butter, and coffee +was served to the boy. He ate heartily, of course, +as most boys will under any circumstances, talking +with the cook as the meal proceeded.</p> + +<p>Directly the leader came to the edge of the little +glade and beckoned to the cook. The latter looked +from his employer to the boy and back again. The +leader beckoned imperatively, and the cook left the +tent and approached him. Together they stepped +away into the edge of the thicket and engaged in +an animated conversation.</p> + +<p>Clay heard the leader ask if the ropes which held +his hands and feet were still in place, and heard the +cook reply that he supposed they were as he had not +examined them.</p> + +<p>“Just for the fun of the thing, now,” Clay +mused, “I’ll find out whether that chap is right.”</p> + +<p>He pulled away at the cords on his wrist, but +for a long time was unable to move them beyond +the limit of the motion which had enabled him to +use a fork at his breakfast.</p> + +<p>“I wonder,” he thought, “why they didn’t give +me a knife to eat that ham with. Never mind, I +can make a knife of my own.”</p> + +<p>He set his elbow against an earthen plate which +lay on the ground, breaking it into several pieces. +The largest fragment, he got into his mouth and +began to saw his wrist ropes against it. The +strands of the rope soon gave way and the boy’s +hands were free. It took him but a moment to +untie the cords which held his ankles.</p> + +<p>Thus released, he listened for a moment to make +sure that the two men in the edge of the thicket +were not observing him. All was still in that direction +and he finally ventured to the opening of the +tent and looked out. The two men were nowhere +in sight.</p> + +<p>“Now or never,” thought the boy. “While +those fellows are cooking up some scheme for the +destruction of the <i>Rambler</i>, I’ll make a quiet sneak. +The peninsula must be crowded with outlaws, all +in search of a lost channel, and so I’ll have to take +to the river.”</p> + +<p>The boy was out of the glade in an instant, +crouching low, of course, but making good time +until he reached the margin of the river. Hoping +to see a boat, he paused there a moment and looked +about. As he did so, the roar of the falls which +had obstructed the progress of the <i>Rambler</i> on her +first trip to that vicinity, reached his ears and he +knew that a boat would be practically useless, as +it would never live through the falling water. The +only thing for him to do, seemed to be to take to +the water and keep as much out of sight as possible +under the bank.</p> + +<p>He sprang in and struck out down stream wondering +if he could pass the falls without returning +to the shore. After swimming a few strokes, he +heard a shout from the bank and saw the leader +and the cook hastening toward the river. The current +was strong there just above the falls and the +boy was an excellent swimmer, so the men did not +decrease the distance between themselves and their +quarry.</p> + +<p>“If you don’t stop, we’ll shoot!” the cook cried.</p> + +<p>“And shoot to kill!” came the voice of the +leader.</p> + +<p>For a moment Clay swam on blindly under a +rain of bullets but he had no idea whatever of voluntarily +returning to the shore. The leaden pellets +splashed into the water all about him for a +time but presently as the men got better range, +they began making closer acquaintance.</p> + +<p>The roar of the falls was now almost deafening. +The boy could hear a torrent of water pouring +down upon broken rocks. He knew now that it +would be impossible for him to negotiate the falls +by way of the river. He must swim to the shore +and pass around the danger point. This would +subject him to the direct fire of his pursuers.</p> + +<p>At last, almost hopeless, he dived into the water +to escape the rain of bullets. To his surprise, he +did not come to the surface again when he used his +strength in that direction.</p> + +<p>Either his body had lost its buoyancy or the +water was pulling him down. He seemed to be in a +whirlpool. The force of the water drew at his +arms and his legs and clutched him about the chest. +Around and around he whirled, until he grew dizzy +with the motion and his lungs seemed bursting for +want of air.</p> + +<p>Then, almost unconscious, he knew that he was +being drawn through an opening into which the +water poured with awful force. He knew that he +was being tossed to and fro in something like a +basin or pool a moment later, and felt the fresh air +creeping into his lungs.</p> + +<p>The water where he lay did not seem to be more +than three or four feet deep but the current was +swift and steady. There was no light anywhere. +The boy groped forward with his hands outstretched +until he came to what seemed to be a +ledge of rock. There, exhausted and almost unconscious +from his exertions, he dropped down and +his mind became a blank.</p> + +<p>When he returned to consciousness, a single +shaft of light penetrating the darkness of the place +showed him to be in a cavern the dimensions of +which he had no means of knowing. The ledge +upon which he had fallen lay a yard or so above the +surface of an underground stream. He could see +the light glancing on the water and hear the roar +of the whirlpool which had brought him into this +subterranean place.</p> + +<p>“I’ve found the lost channel, I guess,” he +thought bitterly, “and I guess there’ll be two of us +lost—a lost river and a lost boy.”</p> + +<p>After a time, he felt his way along the ledge only +to find that it came to an abrupt termination against +a shoulder of rock.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink22'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXII—WHAT THE EDDY BROUGHT UP</a></h2> + +<p>When Case and Jule gained the deck of the +<i>Rambler</i>, crying that Alex was back in the forest +pursued by the outlaws, Captain Joe laid out a +choice assortment of automatic revolvers along the +deck behind the starboard gunwale. The dripping +boys crouched down and waited.</p> + +<p>“He wasn’t very far behind us,” Case said directly.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Jule put in. “He ought to be here before +long.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe, watching the boys whimsically, +pushed the revolvers around so they would be +within easy reach. The deck looked like an +armory.</p> + +<p>“You outrun him, did you, lads?” the old captain +asked.</p> + +<p>“We wanted to stay back and come in with +him,” Case explained, “but he wouldn’t have it. +He said that if we separated and ran in different +directions, one party would be pretty sure to get in, +while we might all be captured if we stuck together. +He was right, of course, but we hated to leave him. +He ought to be here in a minute or two.”</p> + +<p>“Did he say where Clay was?” asked Captain +Joe.</p> + +<p>“We didn’t have much chance to talk with him,” +Case answered. “The outlaws were swarming +over the peninsula, and kept us ducking and dodging +most of the time. There must be a dozen or +more toughs in there.”</p> + +<p>There was no more firing from the shore for a +time, and those on board the <i>Rambler</i> hoped that +Alex had succeeded in eluding his pursuers.</p> + +<p>Presently the bushes at the margin of the stream +parted and a face looked out—a heavy bearded +face with fierce eyes.</p> + +<p>“Good evening, pard!” Jule called out. “Come +aboard!”</p> + +<p>The fellow disappeared without making any +reply.</p> + +<p>“That settles it!” Case exclaimed. “We +won’t see Alex right away. The outlaws haven’t +caught him, and so they are watching along the +shore in the hopes of picking him up when he leaves +the thicket. I’d like to throw a stick of dynamite +in there and blow up the whole outfit.”</p> + +<p>The supposition that Alex would not be seen at +that time proved to be incorrect, however, for a +shout was now heard from the launch, and Alex +was seen waving a cap from the cockpit.</p> + +<p>The cap soon disappeared from sight, however, +for bullets began dropping down from the shore. +On the <i>Rambler</i>, the boys were behind the heavy +gunwales, and Alex was hidden by the cockpit +walls so, beyond splintering the railings and making +havoc in the finely-decorated cabin of the +launch, the bullets did no damage.</p> + +<p>“Now, how do you think that little customer +got out to the launch without getting perforated?” +asked Case.</p> + +<p>“He swam out, of course,” replied Jule, “—he +just ducked under and swam out. I wish we +could get him on board the <i>Rambler</i>.”</p> + +<p>“Now, that tow-line,” Case said, “is too long. +The boy can’t swim under water all that distance. +Can’t we pull the launch up?”</p> + +<p>“Nothing in the world to prevent it,” said Captain +Joe. “If we can get the end of the line into +the cabin, the launch will come up like a duck. +Then Alex can come aboard without much +danger.”</p> + +<p>This plan was adopted. The <i>Cartier</i> was easily +drawn up to the stern of the <i>Rambler</i> and Alex +stepped aboard.</p> + +<p>In a moment he was lying behind the gunwale +with the others.</p> + +<p>“Where did you say Clay was?” asked Captain +Joe.</p> + +<p>“I haven’t seen him for a long time,” was the +reply. “We saw that wharf rat, Max, in the +forest and I started away to follow him. At that +time Clay was coming toward the boat. I thought +he might be here.”</p> + +<p>“And so Max has shown up again, has he?” +cried Case. “We’ll have to land that boy where +he won’t be so active.”</p> + +<p>While the boys were discussing the situation a +grating, flopping sound was heard in the cabin, and +Jule rushed in just in time to see the cable which +had held the <i>Cartier</i> to the <i>Rambler</i> drawing +through the open window. In the excitement of +getting Alex on board, the boys had neglected to +secure the line and the launch was now dropping +down stream.</p> + +<p>Jule sprang for the end of the line, but did not +reach it. It dropped down to the after deck and +was drawn into the water.</p> + +<p>“That’s a nice thing!” shouted the boy, rushing +to the motors. “Now we’ve got to go down and +catch that boat!”</p> + +<p>It was some moments before the anchor could be +lifted and the <i>Rambler</i> turned and sent down +stream, so the <i>Cartier</i> was halfway to the little bay +running in behind the Peninsula before the boys +caught up with her.</p> + +<p>“She won’t get away again,” Captain Joe declared +shortening up the line and making it fast to +the after deck cleats of the motor boat. “We +haven’t got any time to go chasing runaway +launches!”</p> + +<p>As the old captain spoke, Case laid a hand on +his arm and pointed to the projection on the peninsula +behind which Captain Joe had listened on the +night he had left the <i>Rambler</i> during his watch.</p> + +<p>“There’s a blaze over there,” the boy said. +“They must have a lot of men here to keep a force +over there and another one between the two rivers.”</p> + +<p>“Young man,” Captain Joe replied, “the man +who is responsible for this whole mix-up is over +there on the point, with a band of cutthroats.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t they go up and help the others?” +asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“It’s just this way,” Captain Joe replied, “we +disappointed them very much when we got the +<i>Cartier</i> out of the water. That rascal on the point +wanted to have the pleasure of raising the boat +himself.”</p> + +<p>“Then why didn’t he do it?” asked Alex. “He +had time enough before we got here.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know why he didn’t,” answered the +captain, “but he didn’t, and now he’s sore because +we got to it first. It seems to me that he +might have ordered his wrecking apparatus here +and got the boat out before we arrived.”</p> + +<p>“What do you think he wants of the launch?” +Case asked. “According to all accounts, he’s rich +enough to buy a dozen.”</p> + +<p>“I can tell you about that,” Captain Joe replied +with a grin. “You remember when I stood watch +one night, and you all said I looked sleepy the next +day. Well, that night, I paddled over to the point +and heard what those people were talking about. +There is something on board the <i>Cartier</i> they +want. I couldn’t understand exactly what they +said about it, but it is something in some way connected +with a safe.”</p> + +<p>“The safe on the wall in the lost channel!” +laughed Alex. “They think Fontenelle knows +how to get to the safe if he can only get to the +lost channel first.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we got to the launch first, anyway,” Jule +suggested. “And it strikes me that we’d better go +aboard and look her over. Did you see anything +remarkable when you were there, Alex?” he added.</p> + +<p>“Didn’t see a thing,” was the reply. “I flopped +out of the water into the cockpit and never even +looked inside the cabin. I wish now that I had.”</p> + +<p>“Come on, then, let’s you and I take a look +through the cabin while Captain Joe and Case run +the <i>Rambler</i> back to her old position,” Jule suggested.</p> + +<p>The two boys sprang down into the cockpit, +paused a moment to get their balance and opened +the cabin door. As they did so, a scrambling noise +was heard inside, and both were knocked nearly off +their feet as a body launched against them, turned +to the railing and shot over into the river.</p> + +<p>From his position on the deck where he had been +thrown by the impact of the collision, Alex looked +up at Jule with a whimsical smile on his face.</p> + +<p>“Did you see that?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“I felt it,” Jule replied, rubbing his head.</p> + +<p>“What did it feel like?” asked Alex</p> + +<p>“Like a battering ram,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Alex said, “it might have been a battering +ram, but it looked to me like Max, and it’s +dollars to apples that he caused the <i>Cartier</i> to start +downstream. A few pulls from the water would +have started the line running out.”</p> + +<p>“That’s just it!” Jule exclaimed. “That’s exactly +the idea!”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe now leaned over the gunwale of the +<i>Rambler</i> and cried out:</p> + +<p>“Which one of you boys fell overboard?”</p> + +<p>“That was Max,” Alex replied. “He’s been +here in the cabin of the launch for nobody knows +how long, ransacking the lockers and destroying +papers. He must have come aboard about as soon +as it was lifted out of the water. The scamp certainly +keeps busy, anyway.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe passed over to the launch, and a +long search was made through the owner’s +secretary and the drawers and boxes containing documents. +The papers were wet, of course, and many +of them were badly torn, but the purport of each +was by no means doubtful. The great mass consisted +of bills, newspaper clippings, personal letters +and the hundred and one memoranda made by the +captain and owner of a pleasure launch.</p> + +<p>“I guess we’ll have to give it up,” the captain +said, after a time. “There’s one good thing about +it, and that is that Max didn’t meet with any more +success than we did.”</p> + +<p>“How do you know?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“Because,” answered the Captain, “he would +have been off the boat before we ever got to it.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps he wasn’t here as long as you think he +was,” Alex put in. “Clay and I saw him up in +the woods when we first went ashore.”</p> + +<p>The papers were spread out neatly and left to +dry, and everything in the drenched cabin placed +in as good shape as possible. Then the boys all +returned to the <i>Rambler</i>, now nearing her old position +in the west river.</p> + +<p>Much to the surprise of all on board, there were +no signs of the outlaws when the boat came to her +old anchorage. Night was falling and there were +no indications of hostile influences anywhere. Before +darkness settled down over the scene, the boys +drew the <i>Rambler</i> a little farther up the stream +and prepared to pass a watchful and anxious night.</p> + +<p>Alex proposed that he go ashore with the bulldog +and make an effort to find Clay, but the proposition +was instantly vetoed by the others.</p> + +<p>“You’ll get lost yourself,” Case declared, “and +we’d have two boys to look up instead of one. I +think we’d better all stay on the boat.”</p> + +<p>“And that’s good sense, too,” Captain Joe put +in. “Clay knows where we are, and he’ll come to +us if he can get away. If he doesn’t come during +the night, we’ll get out after him in the morning.”</p> + +<p>“He may be waiting for darkness,” Case suggested. +“In that case, he ought to be here soon. +He must be hungry.”</p> + +<p>“He surely will, and we’ll keep supper waiting +for him in this cabin all night,” said Alex “When +the outlaws had me pinched, they didn’t give me +anything to eat. I’ll get even for that!”</p> + +<p>The night passed slowly, drearily, and Clay did +not come. As the reader understands, all through +the dark hours, the boy lay bound in a tent not far +from the west shore of the east river.</p> + +<p>Shortly after daylight, breakfast being over, the +boys began planning for a visit to the shore.</p> + +<p>The canoe and the rowboat were both on the +bank still in plain sight.</p> + +<p>“You swim over and get the boats, Jule,” Case +said. “You haven’t had as many open air baths as +we have since we started on this trip.”</p> + +<p>“Now, boys,” interposed Captain Joe, “I +wouldn’t touch those boats if I were you. If there +are any outlaws in those woods at all, they’re +watching those boats. The first boy that swims +up to one of them will be captured.”</p> + +<p>“Then we’ve all got to swim,” declared Case +ruefully.</p> + +<p>“We’re getting used to it this time,” cried Alex</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe there’s any one over there,” Jule +said. “They wouldn’t keep still so long.”</p> + +<p>“I notice that you don’t get your head up above +the gunwale very often,” Alex laughed.</p> + +<p>“Look here, boys,” Captain Joe said, pointing +out of the cabin window. “Here’s a place where +the river widens without any good excuse for doing +so. I talked to Clay about that, and his idea +was that an underground stream runs in in this +vicinity. Now, your eyes are better than mine. +Look upstream and see if you can observe any current +which might be made by the flowing in of a +subterranean river.”</p> + +<p>“You’re all right, Captain Joe,” Case exclaimed. +“You can’t forget that lost channel any more than +we can.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know whether there’s a lost channel or +not,” the captain replied, “but I do know that +there’s a fresh supply of water coming into this +stream right about here.”</p> + +<p>Case took a field glass and looked up the stream.</p> + +<p>“There surely is a current starting in close to +that bank,” he finally said. “I can see sticks and +bubbles popping up from the bottom. There’s a +spring there, all right.”</p> + +<p>Alex took the glass and studied the river for a +long time. Then he seized Captain Joe by the +shoulder and pointed.</p> + +<p>“Say,” he said, “there’s a nude body coming up +out of that eddy Case saw. You can see it under +the water, drifting down this way.”</p> + +<p>The boy dropped the glass clattering on the deck +and sprang into the water.</p> + +<p>“Here, here, boy! Come back!” cried Captain +Joe.</p> + +<p>“It’s Clay!” shouted Jule. “Can’t you see it’s +Clay!”</p> + +<p>In a moment, Jule was in the water, too, and +both boys were diving after the figure they had +seen in the eddy.</p> + +<p>They caught it in a moment, and managed to +get it to the boat. Captain Joe and Case supplied +ropes, and in an incredibly short space of time, +Clay lay stretched out on the deck.</p> + +<p>“He’s dead!” cried Alex “I just know he’s +dead!”</p> + +<p>“They stripped him of his clothes and threw +him in!” wailed Jule.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink23'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXIII—THE LOST CHARTER IS FOUND</a></h2> + +<p>An instant after being laid on the deck, however, +Clay opened his eyes and smiled up into the +faces of his friends.</p> + +<p>“He’ll be saying, ‘Where am I?’ in a minute!” +Alex cried, dancing joyfully about the prostrate +figure. “That is the usual thing in stories, you +know. He’ll have to say, ‘Where am I?’ and I’ll +have to tell him that he mustn’t talk. Look at him +grin.”</p> + +<p>“What gets me,” Captain Joe said, lifting the +boy into a sitting position, “is how you came up +from the bottom of the river without ever diving +down to it. It looks uncanny.”</p> + +<p>“The lost channel!” answered Clay weakly.</p> + +<p>“You found it, did you?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Boys, boys,” said Captain Joe, “never mind +the lost channel until we get this boy dressed and +fed up.”</p> + +<p>The processes suggested by the captain were +quickly accomplished, and in a short time, Clay +sat in the cabin telling of the adventures of the +morning. The boys listened wide-eyed.</p> + +<p>“Now let me get this thing right,” Captain Joe +said. “You went into a whirlpool above the falls +and came out into a cavern?”</p> + +<p>“That’s just it, exactly,” Clay replied, still weak +from his exertions. “I landed on a ledge, where +I lay unconscious for a few moments and then +followed down the channel of the underground +river. There is plenty of room in the cavern,” he +continued, “and plenty of fresh air, but the place +is shy on light. I fell many times in the darkness.”</p> + +<p>“I thought it wasn’t safe for me to be in there!” +grinned Alex.</p> + +<p>“I thought it wasn’t safe for me be in there!” +Clay replied with a wink, “and so I made my way +out as swiftly as I could. At this end of the channel, +the water runs out just below the surface of +the west river, and I thought I’d better reduce my +weight as much as possible before going through +the opening, so I took off my clothes and was +pushed out by the current.”</p> + +<p>“Looked mighty funny to see you come floating +out of the river without ever having gone in!” +laughed Jule.</p> + +<p>“Now, boys,” said Captain Joe, after the boys +had discussed all phases of the situation, “let’s +size this thing up together. In the first place, Clay +has undoubtedly discovered the lost channel.”</p> + +<p>“It might have been found years ago,” Clay +said, “if the men who tried to describe it had only +said that it was a subterranean stream.”</p> + +<p>“And now, the question is,” went on the captain, +“whether the charter and the family jewels +are anywhere in the cavern through which the lost +stream runs.”</p> + +<p>“It seemed to me,” Clay broke in, “that the +cavern was big enough to hold a small sized city. +It is just the kind of a place where one would +naturally hide valuables.”</p> + +<p>“It seems to me,” Alex complained, “that the +hardest part of our job is still to come, even if we +have discovered the lost channel. We can’t go up +there and dive through the whirlpool, as Clay did, +because the outlaws would perforate us before we +got anywhere near the falls.”</p> + +<p>“I’ve been thinking of that,” Clay said, “and I +believe there is a way to get into the cavern without +getting wet. When I lay in the cavern, high +up on the ridge, before being taken to the shore, +the men with me emptied several tin cans of food +and pitched them into a corner of the cavern. One +of the cans was sent along with a kick, and I heard +a splash of water when it fell.”</p> + +<p>“Je-rusalem!” cried Alex. “Show me where +that cavern is, and I’ll take a rope and go through +the opening where the can fell!”</p> + +<p>“What would these fellows on shore be doing +all the time you were reaching the cavern?” asked +Case.</p> + +<p>“I am certain,” Clay went on, “that there is an +opening from the floor of the cavern to the chamber +in which the lost river runs, for when I came +down, I saw a blur of light about halfway through +the journey.”</p> + +<p>“That settles that part of it, then,” Captain Joe +said. “We’ll have to wait for a suitable opportunity +and get into the chamber by way of the +cave. And now,” he continued, “I propose that +we move out to the bay or the St. Lawrence, where +we won’t be under the guns of the enemy, and cook +several square meals. Honest, boys,” he went on, +“I’ve been so worried lately, that I’ve almost lost +my appetite.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” Case laughed, “I notice you consumed +only half a dozen of those Bismark pancakes for +breakfast.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> was dropped down to the bay with +the launch still by her side, and, once out of rifle +shot, the boys enjoyed the freedom of the deck.</p> + +<p>“Now, we’ll stay here until night,” Captain Joe +said, “and then we’ll see what we can do towards +finding that cavern and dropping down into the +lost channel. We ought to explore it in one night +with the help of our searchlights.”</p> + +<p>The plan mapped out by the captain was successfully +carried out. Leaving Jule on board the +<i>Rambler</i>, the other members of the party crept cautiously +ashore that night, and were led directly to +the cavern by Clay. They were not disturbed during +the journey. Off to the east, they saw the reflection +of a campfire and the sound of many voices +showed the boys that the outlaws were not at all +anxious to conceal their presence.</p> + +<p>The opening leading from the cavern to the +channel of the stream was large enough for even +Captain Joe to pass through with comfort. Directly +under the opening was a ledge of rock and +here the boys landed. Almost at the point of entry +they saw marks on the wall which indicated that +at some distant time an inscription had been carved +there.</p> + +<p>“We can’t read the words,” Clay said, flashing +his searchlight over the wall, “but at least it tells +us that this is somewhere near the scene of the old-time +operations.”</p> + +<p>Alex, who had been poking about around an +angle of rock, now gave a great shout of delight +which called the boys to his side.</p> + +<p>“There’s your old safe!” he cried, pointing up +to a niche in the wall, “and it’s dollars to doughnuts +that the lost charter and the jewels are inside +of it!”</p> + +<p>It was the work of only a few moments to bring +the safe down from the ledge of rock to where the +boys stood. It was merely a box of steel, not more +than a foot in diameter each way, and was evidently +constructed with thin walls for its weight was not +great. However, it was tightly closed and the boys +could see no means by which it might be opened. +There was not even a keyhole or a button.</p> + +<p>“We’ll take it back to the <i>Rambler</i>,” Captain +Joe said. “Perhaps we can find a way to open it +there.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll find a way to open it,” Alex exclaimed, +“when we get hold of the document Max was +looking for in the cabin of the <i>Cartier</i>.”</p> + +<p>“Good idea!” Captain Joe replied. “If you +wait long enough, you’ll always find something like +intelligence in the head of a boy!”</p> + +<p>When the party returned to the cabin, daylight +was just showing in the east and the noisy revel of +those at the campfire had ceased.</p> + +<p>“I tell you what it is,” Captain Joe exclaimed, +“those fellows have given up chasing us for the +reason that they have arrived at the conclusion that +we don’t know any more about the lost channel +than they do. At first, they doubtless thought the +map might direct us to it, but now they have given +up that idea, and are satisfied to let us hunt for +the lost charter if we want to.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, but they are still watching us, all the +same,” Clay replied, “expecting to take the proceeds +of the discovery away from us if we are lucky +enough to find what both parties are seeking for.”</p> + +<p>This explanation of Captain Joe’s seemed to be +the correct one, for the boys were not molested +while on their way to the <i>Rambler</i> with the steel +box. Having secured the box, the question now +was how to get it open, so nearly all that day, they +searched among the papers in the cabin of the +<i>Cartier</i> for some clue to the mystery. Before +night it was found in a bundle of old papers stowed +away in a secret draw at the bottom of the owner’s +secretary, where it had lain for a long time.</p> + +<p>“This is easy,” Clay said holding the paper up +between his thumb and fingers. “The box is only +an old French puzzle box. Press on the upper right +hand front corner and a button will show. Press +the button and the box will open, and there you +are.”</p> + +<p>“What the dickens do you think the Fontenelles +left this paper laying around in a place like this +for?” asked Case. “Do you suppose they knew +what it was?”</p> + +<p>“Of course they knew,” Clay answered, “and +the paper was brought along so that the box might +be opened as soon as found.”</p> + +<p>Although the hinges and lock of the steel box +were rusted, it was opened with little difficulty and +there were the family jewels and the lost charter! +In spite of difficulties, the boys had succeeded in +their quest. The search of more than three hundred +years was ended!</p> + +<p>When the <i>Rambler</i> and the <i>Cartier</i> started away +toward Quebec, they left the men who had opposed +them still on the peninsula. Reaching the city, they +lost no time in communicating the result of their +expedition to the Fontenelles. It is needless to say +that the latter were overjoyed at the recovery of +the charter and the jewels.</p> + +<p>At the close of the interview between the elder +Fontenelle and Clay, the former wrote a check for +ten thousand dollars and passed it over to the boy. +Clay smiled as he passed it back.</p> + +<p>“You remember,” he said, “that we recovered +the <i>Cartier</i>, and that we searched her papers pretty +thoroughly to discover the secret of the steel box. +Well, Captain Joe, our old friend from Chicago, +has conceived a great liking for the boat, and if +you can induce your son to give us the launch, and +also to make no trouble for the poor people who +will suffer under this charter, we shall consider +ourselves amply repaid for all our trouble. It has +been a pleasant excursion, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“So far as the boat is concerned,” the old man +Fontenelle replied, “you are entitled to it as salvage. +Besides, now that the charter and the jewels +have been discovered, through your agency, the +<i>Cartier</i> will no longer be elaborate enough for my +son. He will have a handsome yacht built, anyway, +so you may as well take the launch. So far +as making trouble for those who have occupied our +lands for years goes, no one shall suffer except +those who combined their wealth to obstruct us.</p> + +<p>“And so you see,” he continued, “that the check +is yours after all.”</p> + +<p>And the old gentleman would not accept “No.” +for an answer.</p> + +<p>“One thing I should like to know,” Clay said, +before leaving Mr. Fontenelle, “and that concerns +the mysterious map we received and the manner in +which it came into our possession.”</p> + +<p>“I can set you right on that point,” the old man +said. “The man who gave you the map and who +was drowned that same night was long in our +employ. He finally became angry at some fancied +slight and disappeared taking with him valuable +papers. It is believed that the crude map delivered +to you was among the papers he took. At any rate, +on the day before you saw him, he expressed to a +relative remorse at what he had done and promised +to restore the papers. How he came to deliver the +map to you, knowing the <i>Cartier</i> as well as he did, +is something which will never be known.”</p> + +<p>The boys left Quebec the next morning without +waiting for the return of the men who were still +looking for the lost channel on Cartier island. +Therefore they never saw either Lawyer Martin or +Max again, but they read later in the news dispatches +of Max being sentenced to the penitentiary +for highway robbery.</p> + +<p>The boys went over the old ground on the river +again to Ogdensburg, where the <i>Cartier</i> was fully +equipped with new electrical apparatus and then +the two started away on their long journey up the +lakes.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe, was, of course, overjoyed at becoming +the owner of the launch, which is now one +of the show vessels on the South Branch.</p> + +<p>Captain Joe, the bulldog, and Teddy when in +Chicago alternate between the <i>Rambler</i> and the +<i>Cartier</i>, having a welcome on either boat.</p> + +<p>The boys were not content to remain long on +the South Branch. In fact, within a few days, they +fitted the <i>Rambler</i> out for a trip down the Ohio +river. What occurred during this trip will be related +in the next volume of this series entitled: +The Six River Motor Boat Boys on the Ohio; or, +the Three Blue Lights.</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The River Motor Boat Boys on the St. +Lawrence, by Harry Gordon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RIVER MOTOR BOAT BOYS ON *** + +***** This file should be named 38450-h.htm or 38450-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/4/5/38450/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from images made available by the HathiTrust +Digital Library.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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